Diamondbacks lose two-time All-Star to injury mere days after he inks lucrative extension
As expected, the Diamondbacks officially placed Ketel Marte on the 10-day injured list, a day after the second baseman suffered a left hamstring strain while running the bases in Fridays 6-4 win over the Nationals.
Infielder Tim Tawa was called up from Triple-A Reno in the corresponding move.
Marte's injury happens mere days after the two-time All-Star inked a six-year, $116M extension .
The 31-year-old is one of the best second basemen in MLB, and news of his megadeal emerged on Wednesday, the same day the league saw a frenzy of extensions.
Tawa will be making his major league debut the first time he appears in a game.
Garrett Hampson figures to get most of the playing time at second base in Martes absence, and Tawa will essentially take Hampsons spot as a utilityman.
Over his five minor league seasons, Tawa has played primarily as a second baseman and at all three outfield positions, while also logging some time at the other three infield spots.
An 11th-round pick for the Diamondbacks in the 2021 draft, Tawa took a step closer to the big leagues when Arizona added him to its 40-man roster last November in advance of the Rule 5 Draft.
Beyond his defensive versatility, Tawa has also posted some increasingly strong numbers at the plate during his minor league career, including a .317/.388/.665 slash line and 13 homers over 183 plate appearances at Triple-A Reno.
The usual caveats apply about the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League environment, yet it is easy to see why the D-Backs wanted to retain a multi-position player with these kinds of numbers.
While Tawas time on Arizonas roster likely isnt going to last beyond Martes IL stint, the 26-year-old infielder will get a prized opportunity to show what he can go at the MLB level.
This article first appeared on MLB Trade Rumors and was syndicated with permission..
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