Image: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The D’backs were crushed throughout baseball for the trades that sent Trevor Bauer and Justin Upton packing this offseason. Yet, the main pieces in their haul in those trades, Didi Gregorius and Martin Prado, hit a home run each to give the D’backs their only two runs in the regular nine innings against the Yanks.

Then, after closer J.J. Putz gave up a game-tying solo shot to Francisco Cervelli in the bottom of the ninth, Cody Ross, whose 3-year, $26 million contract he signed this offseason was also panned, delivered the go-ahead single in the 12th to put the D’backs on top for good.

It was sort of a redemption game for GM Kevin Towers as the entire league watches Justin Upton hit home run after home run. Now, nothing can be taken from a one-game sample like today, but it had to feel good anyways.

In the third, Phil Hughes threw a fastball down and in and Gregorius turned on it, driving it out on a line to right field. The home run was Gregorius’ first in the majors and came in his first at bat, and the first pitch, as a D’back.

In the sixth, Hughes tried to go upstairs on Prado, who promptly drove it into the left field bleachers.

The Yanks scored their first run on another mammoth blast off of the bat of Robinson Cano, who was the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding outing from Patrick Corbin.

Corbin went seven innings, only gave up the one run on Cano’s shot, struck out seven and gave up two hits.

In the 12th, Gerardo Parra broke up an 0-for-5 game for him by leading off with a double to right center. After Prado flew out to deep center to move Parra to third, Paul Goldschmidt reached on a catcher’s interference, the second of the game, and Miguel Montero was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Ross.

One of the reasons cited for Ross’ signing in the offseason despite the utter depth of talent in the outfield at the time was his ability to be “clutch.” At least in this case, Ross proved that to be true by hitting a liner into left to score Parra.

Eric Chavez shut the door on the Yanks in the next at bat with a bases clearing double to make the final 6-2.

The win saved the D’backs from the three-game sweep.

The D’backs now travel to Colorado to face the red-hot Rockies, who have won six straight and lead the NL West with an 11-4 record. The pitching match ups look to be Ian Kennedy (1-1, 5.79) against Jhoulys Chacin (2-0, 1.96 and Trevor Cahill (0-2, 3.50) facing off with Jorge De La Rosa (1-1, 3.86). On Sunday, Brandon McCarthy (0-2, 7.47) will be on the bump for the D’backs against a pitcher yet to be determined for the Rockies.

In a corresponding move, the D’backs have activated top prospect Didi Gregoriusto replace Hill on the roster. Nick Piecoro, of Azcentral Sports, reported that manager Kirk Gibson expects Hill to miss 4-6 weeks with the injury.

Image: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Hill was originally diagnosed with a bone bruise after the hit-by-pitch, missing the next two games before pinch hitting on April 13 and starting Sunday’s game but only lasting four innings. A sore wrist was said to be the culprit for that early removal.

Gregorius was acquired in the trade that sent top pitching prospect Trevor Bauer to Cleveland. Gregorius is known for an outstanding glove at shortstop that perhaps outshines his bat.

Though, Gregorius is off to a hot start in hitting-heaven triple-A Reno. He’s hitting .387 with a .424 OBP and a .645 slugging, scoring seven times with two home runs. Gregorius has been recovering from an injury of his own, an elbow injury that prevented him from playing the field until yesterday.

It’s unclear if Didi will play everyday for the D’backs or even where he will play. The D’backs have several options: sliding Gregorius into second to replace Hill, moving Cliff Pennington to second and Gregorius will take over short, or even moving Martin Prado to second and having Eric Chavez in the everyday lineup.

Hill was hitting .306 with two home runs and getting on base at a .405 clip for the D’backs in 42 plate appearances this season.

Like ThomasLynch wrote here, the D’backs have several decent options for the fifth spot in the rotation, so the team wasn’t relying on Skaggs to win the job.

Spring training numbers are largely dismissible. The sample size is so small that it has little bearing on how teams, scouts and fans (should) evaluate players. However, if during that small sample, something changes, mechanically, injury-wise or, for pitchers, velocity wise, that could be concerning.

According to Keith Law during his “Klaw Chat” on ESPN, Skaggs may have shown some dip in velocity during spring training.

As you can see in the screen shot to the right, Keith Law notes just that.

Skaggs’ “velocity wasn’t all there this spring, which isn’t a great sign. At 92-94 with that curveball, he’s a potential #2 [starter.] At 88-91, he’s not,” he wrote in reply to a commenter.

Now, according to BrooksBaseball.net, Skaggs’ average fastball velocity during the spring was actually 91.19, which is higher than his average of 90.23 in 2012. (Remember, the pitch f/x data only accounts for Skaggs’ major league innings.)

So, who to believe? Law and Brooks Baseball contradict one another. And given Skaggs’ results during the spring, I am inclined to lean towards Law.

If Law is accurate, it could mean one of several things. Skaggs could have a minor injury, a major injury, something is wrong mechanically or even just normal drop in velocity during the spring. Some pitchers lose two to four MPH during the spring and gain it back in April. But at the very least, it is concerning.

Skaggs was the centerpiece of the Dan Haren trade to the Angels and the guy the D’backs have to be hoping pans out given their willingness to trade Trevor Bauer.

I remember a few short months ago, the D’backs 2014 projected rotation consisted of Bauer, Skaggs, Jarrod Parker, Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson. Now? Two of those guys were traded, Hudson is recovering from Tommy John surgery, Kennedy has regressed and Skaggs’ future is a little bit less bright.