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[Dbacks.com] Soroka fans 3 in D-backs debut with World Baseball Classic approaching – Soroka allowed one run on two hits over two innings while walking one and striking out three in the D-backs’ 6-4 win. “Felt good for the most part,” Soroka said. “Just a little bit stiff early, trying a little bit too hard to make everything do what it’s supposed to do. I think I settled in a little bit and just got right to it and we made our adjustments, and made some good pitches, and some that I want to forget, so we’ll move forward. “I threw a really good fastball for a take there in the second inning. I had some good finish pitches, threw a couple of good breaking balls that were executed and the cutter was great today.”
[SI] Crucial Change Could Make Taylor Clarke a Weapon For D-backs Bullpen – The right-hander made tweaks to his mechanics and reintroduced his sinker ahead of 2025, which paid immediate dividends. He posted a career-low 3.25 ERA over 55.1 innings last season. “Last year, tweaked some things. We added the sinker back and I think that’s helped out a lot,” Clarke said. “It’s just something to run in on righties, give them a different look than a four-seam, because I feel like I was getting a little bit too predictable with four-seams up, sliders away. “But the largest, most impactful difference is to his changeup. [Cross “added new pitch” off your Soring Training Bingo card!]
[AZ Central] Here’s the latest on Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly’s back injury – Lovullo said Kelly, who underwent an MRI earlier in the week, also had a CT scan, in hopes of finding more clarity on the specifics of the injury. “It’s a wide range,” Lovullo said. “I’m not going to lie. We’re being very thorough with what we’re doing. We’re taking every test necessary to make sure that we get everything in the bag before we start to pass that information along. We’ve got to figure out exactly what’s happening in there.” Kelly is the Diamondbacks’ scheduled Opening Day starter. The back issue raises questions about whether he will be available to make that March 26 start vs. the Dodgers.
[Denver Post] Arenado ‘will be a force’ in NL West, Rockies’ Warren Schaeffer says – The former Rockies and Cardinals star might not rise to his former glory in the desert, but he’s confident he’ll make the D-backs a better team. He padded that confidence with a solo home run in his first Cactus League at-bat, punishing a hanging sweeper from Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela.“ My expectations are high, and they are high for this group,” Arenado said after taking batting practice at Salt River Fields. “I think this team is really good. This is a top-10 offense without me, but I think I can really help it. I think I’m making adjustments that will really help me. You know me, I like to keep goals to myself, but I do have hefty goals. I don’t think I am ever going to change that.”
[Fangraphs] No Room at the Infield: Jordan Lawlar Moves To Center Field – As far as Lawlar’s ability to play center field, I have no doubt about his physical tools. While the orthodox move would’ve been third base, the shortstop-to-center field path has been well-traveled. Jackson Merrill did fine. So did Mickey Mantle. Lawlar absolutely has the speed for the position; he hit 30 ft/sec in sprint speed last year, putting him in capital-e Elite territory. A shift to center field might actually bring out the best in Lawlar. One of Eric Longenhagen’s few gripes about Lawlar’s defense was his tendency to make awkward throws on the run, especially off his backhand. He got the job done, it just looked a little janky.
[Arizona Sports] Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte are top D-backs in ESPN Olney’s top 10 MLB positional rankings – The top-ranked D-back in Marte produced what Olney equated to “about $135 million in value” over the last three years. His 2025 fWar of 10.9 was more than two full points ahead of Hoerner’s 8.7 in second, while his batting value on FanGraphs of 65.8 was more than double that of Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (31.2) in second. “He excels offensively, and while the numbers suggest he is just average defensively, he continues to be the preeminent player at this position.”
[SI] Diamondbacks Release Young Reliever – According to the transaction logs on his player page, the Arizona Diamondbacks have officially released right-handed reliever Christian Montes De Oca. He had been previously outrighted off the 40-man roster earlier in the offseason. Montes De Oca, 26, figured to be a developmental arm in the D-backs’ system worth keeping an eye on after making his major league debut in the 2025 season. However, an injury shortened that campaign and prevented him from making more than one appearance in the majors.