Torey Lovullo Gives Update on Eduardo Rodriguez's Injury

Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez left today's game in the second inning after a couple warmup pitches due to left lat tightness. After throwing his last warmup pitch, Rodriguez approached second baseman Elvis Andrus complaining of back tightness. That prompted Lovullo to visit the mound, with trainer Ryan DiPanfilo and pitching coach Brent Strom, to get more information. Manager Torey Lovullo said they will get more information for tomorrow and give a more detailed update then. He said his level of concern is "minimal" and there won't be imaging, for now.

"Unwinding it a little bit, I saw Elvis and he were having a conversation after the throwdown, and then he took more steps towards him like they were going to have a deeper conversation about something that shouldn't be taking place at that point in time. So I walked out there, I was getting information and I said he's done and I had to figure out with Strommie who's going to come in the game." 

After questioning, they determined the injury was more in the lat area although he also describes it as more back than shoulder thing. Asked if they would take him out if it were a regular season game, Lovullo said he would, citing the case of Taijuan Walker back in 2018. 

Geraldo Perdomo in his first game back from a left knee injury got three at-bats and played four innings at shortstop. He finished with an RBI double in his final at-bat before getting replaced by a pinch runner in the top of the fifth. Perdomo ran gingerly into second, although when Lovullo asked, everyone told him that his shortstop was doing fine. 

The D-backs scored all four of their runs in the 5th inning against Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks. A double by Alek Thomas, who smoked three baseballs tonight with only one hit to show for it, put two runners in scoring position with no outs. That's continued a recent trend of Thomas squaring up some baseballs, including a well-struck ball against a very good left-handed starter on Sunday. Lovullo described what he was seeing from his center fielder at the plate.

"Just a really patient approach, waiting for his pitch. He is timed up, he's seeing it, hands are back, and his lower half is in a really stacked up position. It's equaling really loud contact."

The D-backs will return to Salt River Fields tomorrow to play the Colorado Rockies. Left-hander Tommy Henry is listed as the starter, with Bryce Jarvis, Paul Sewald, Joe Mantiply, and Scott McGough on the list of probable pitchers. First pitch will be at 1:10 PM MST.