Diamondbacks Send Pavin Smith to 60-Day IL After Elbow Surgery

Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. The team officially transferred him to the 60-day injured list to make room for third catcher Aramis Garcia. Smith is ruled out through the end of May and will miss at least a month of action.

Smith’s elbow injury has been a recurring issue since Spring Training. He received a cortisone shot when he initially went on the injured list in late March. That treatment failed to resolve the problem, leading to the surgery. The initial diagnosis had been inflammation, but further evaluation revealed the need for more aggressive intervention.

The move creates more pressure on the team’s first base situation. Tyler Locklear is still recovering from offseason surgeries on both his elbow and shoulder. That has forced 40-year-old Carlos Santana into a full-time first base role. Santana is not built for that workload and went on the injured list with an adductor strain just over a week ago.

Utility infielder Ildemaro Vargas has stepped in as the primary first baseman. Vargas has hit .312/.357/.438 through the first month of the season. However, his career line is a modest .253/.294/.365 across over 1300 plate appearances. The D-Backs are clearly not in an ideal spot at the position.

The team has also turned to Luken Baker and rookie Jose Fernandez for first base and DH duties. Fernandez has been used more frequently in the DH role. That leaves Baker as a potential backup option, though he has seen limited MLB action this season.

On a more positive note, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is nearing a return. He will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Amarillo tomorrow. Position players can spend up to 20 days on a rehab stint. Gurriel tore his ACL in September and was expected to miss until around the All-Star Break. Instead, he is on track to return within two to three weeks.

Gurriel’s return is a boost for a team dealing with multiple position player injuries. Jordan Lawlar will be out until June with a broken wrist. Tim Tawa and Jorge Barrosa are splitting left field reps in the interim. The D-Backs plan to use Gurriel in both left field and as a DH.

The Diamondbacks will look to manage their roster while Smith is sidelined. The next decision comes when Gurriel completes his rehab assignment. The team may also need to consider additional moves if Santana remains on the IL.