D-backs Notebook: Corbin Carroll, A.J. Puk, and more snake bitten by injuries

DENVER, Colo. –– The season of swellings, sprains and scars continued on Friday for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Manager Torey Lovullo announced season-ending surgeries for LHP A.J. Puk, LHP Tommy Henry and RHP Christian Montes De Oca. Updates on the health of RF Corbin Carroll and C Gabriel Moreno weren’t much more hopeful while another, C Adrian Del Castillo, was placed on the injured list.

Carroll was hit on the left hand by a pitch during the team’s loss on Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. He’s been held out of the last two contests, but a stint on the IL doesn’t appear necessary.

“Corbin is much better, trending in a very positive direction,” Lovullo said. “(I) just want to give him a work day, just let him train, get out, see how he feels. The last thing you want to do is put a bat in your hand and have somebody sting you. So he’s going to do all that he can.”

The 2023 National League Rookie of the Year was available to come off the bench for Arizona, but the 14-8 win over the Colorado Rockies didn’t need his contributions.

The 24-year-old is batting .255 with 20 home runs and 44 RBI through 72 games played. His 2.7 bWAR leads the Diamondbacks. With one more triple, he’ll join Hall of Famer Dick Allen (1965-67) as the only two players with three consecutive seasons of 10+ doubles, 10+ triples, 20+ homers, 40+ RBI and 10+ stolen bases.

Will that milestone come on Saturday at Coors Field, where his 1.036 OPS is the fifth-highest among active players in the NL?

“I want to try and think aggressively and say that he will be (back), but I want to just make sure that I’m patient here,” Lovullo admitted. “I want to say that we’ll aggressively act and put him back in there tomorrow, but I (won’t) unless he’s absolutely ready.”

Mourning Moreno

Gabriel Moreno was placed on the injured list on Thursday for hairline fracture in his pointer finger and his timetable may not be as hopeful as originally hoped. 

The 25-year-old was struck in the hand by a foul ball on June 6 and continued to play through discomfort despite the imagine show no fracture. Moreno was given a few days off before playing three games in five days from June 10-14 where he went 2-for-12 with a home run and three runs batted in.

“I just want to say that I appreciate what he was trying to do,” Lovullo said of Moreno’s tenacity. “I know that he had some at-bats that he was working through pain-wise – and they were successful at-bats. He hit a 112-mph home run and was just gutting it out, but it just became too much. So I just want to let everybody know how appreciative I am of that effort that he gave.”

Arizona won those three games that Moreno played through the pain before losing the next three games in his absence.

Though Moreno can return from the 10-day IL as soon as June 25, it might still be a few weeks before the Diamondbacks welcome him back. Lovullo said there’s even a chance he doesn’t return until after the All-Star break on July 18 at home against the St. Louis Cardinals.

“We got to get him pain-free and then get him worked up again. And there’s some return to baseball activity that needs to happen as well.” The all-time winningest manager in franchise history added, “He can’t just jump in from being, “Okay, go. You’re pain-free.” He’s gonna have he’s gonna miss some time.”

One of the reasons the club is being a bit more cautious with Carroll’s injury is because of how poorly the Moreno situation played out. Losing two of the best everyday players during a season in which two prized free agent investments – RHP Corbin Burnes and LHP Jordan Montgomery – have been lost for the season to Tommy John surgery has only exacerbated the challenges the team has faced in 2025.

Speaking of TJ

Just when it looked like things couldn’t get worse for Arizona’s arms, Lovullo announced UCL surgeries for LHP A.J. Puk and LHP Tommy Henry.

Puk has been out of action since May while Henry, optioned to Triple-A Reno on June 6, was placed on the 7-day injured list following his June 10 outing with the Aces.

The pair will be the fifth and sixth pitchers to require elbow surgery on the Dbacks’ 40-man roster following Burnes, Montgomery, LHP Blake Walston, and RHP Justin Martinez, who has yet to have the procedure.

The loss of Martinez and Puk has erased two of the best bullpen arms entering the season. In their stead, RHP Shelby Miller has recorded seven saves and has pitched to a 2.10 ERA in 30.0 innings. Only LHP Jalen Beeks (3.10 ERA) has thrown more innings among Dbacks’ relievers.

But Wait, There’s More

Christian Montes De Oca, who made his Major League debut earlier this month, is now done for the season. He pitched 2.2 innings in his lone appearance on June 7. Almost immediately, Montes De Oca hit the IL for a back stress fracture and right elbow inflammation.

“Montes De Oca had low back surgery, in the L4 portion of his lower back, and he’ll be lost for the year,” Lovullo said.

The 25-year-old spent 2024 as a reliever with Double-A Amarillo and Reno. He improved upon his 4.87 ERA last season with a 4.07 ERA in the Pacific Coast League over 24.1 innings in 17 appearances.

After losing Moreno to injury on Thursday, C Adrian Del Castillo was the next catcher headed to the IL on Friday. Del Castillo was beaten by Herrera for a place on the Opening Day roster and scheduled to begin the year in Triple-A.

He went on the IL in Reno before Opening Night and continued to struggle to regain his health through the first few months of the season. The rookie backstop managed to start his rehab assignment on May 20 and played in 17 games before getting shut down.

“(Del Castillo) was looking like he was getting healthy, had some low back spasms. He’s back in Arizona.” Lovullo added, “He’s going to be another couple of weeks before he’s back on the field.”