SAN DIEGO – Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo dodged a question as to whether first base is, in fact, becoming a platoon even if he didn’t plan for it to be, but it’s hard to conclude otherwise given the way his first six lineups have been structured.
In three games against right-handed pitchers, the left-handed hitting Jake Lamb has started. In three against lefties, including Tuesday night against Padres lefty Eric Lauer, the right-handed hitting Christian Walker has gotten the nod.
Lovullo said he still “firmly” anticipates Lamb getting between “450 to 500 at-bats” this season, but he felt he couldn’t keep Walker out of the lineup with the way he has swung the bat in the first week of the season.