2023 Diamondbacks: Projected opening day lineup, rotation, & bullpen
Opening day begins to creep closer and closer. On March 30, Arizona will travel to LA to take on the Dodgers, marking the first game of their 23’ season. Here is what the team will look like come that time…
Diamondbacks projected opening day lineup:
1. McCarthy RF
2. Marte 2B
3. Carroll CF
4. Walker 1B
5. Gurriel Jr. LF
6. Longoria 3B
7. Moreno DH
8. Ahmed SS
9. Kelly C
Quick notes: Creating the opening day lineup was no easy task. The fact that Josh Rojas will be on the bench feels like a crime to me considering he led the D-backs in OBP last season; this shows the insane depth the D-backs have on offense this season. Call me crazy, but Arizona has the potential to be top-10 in runs scored in 23'. Strictly looking at the top 5 in their lineup, McCarthy provides on-base skills and elite speed from the leadoff position. Marte had a .909 OPS in 2021. Carroll is seemingly the future face of the Diamondbacks and is projected to have an .839 OPS from the 3 spot, Walker hit 36 HRs, and 94 RBIs a season ago, and Gurriel Jr. has racked up 89 extra-base hits, 26 HRs, and 136 RBIs over the last two seasons. Certainly, not a fun top 5 for pitchers to face…
Diamondbacks projected opening day rotation:
1. Gallen
2. Kelly
3. Bumgarner
4. Davies
5. Ryne Nelson
Quick notes: Led by star pitcher Zac Gallen, this rotation may be subject to change. Yes, Gallen and Kelly are surely safe in their 1 and 2 spots, but pitchers 3-5 could be a mix. Bumgarner is currently the highest-paid player on the Diamondbacks and he without a doubt, has the most to prove this season. I imagine he will get a longer leash because of his contract, but if he is struggling and the rest of the team is succeeding, look for Torey Lovullo to move him to the bullpen. Davies has always been solid but never elite so like Bumgarner, he could be potentially moved to the bullpen if he hits a couple of bumps in the road. Lastly, the 5th spot will most likely go to Ryne Nelson or Drey Jameson. Both pitchers are solid candidates to bolster this rotation…
Diamondbacks projected opening day bullpen:
- Miguel Castro
- Joe Mantiply
- Scott McGough
- Kyle Nelson
- Andrew Chafin
- Mark Melancon
- Drey Jameson
Quick notes: For a bullpen that was one of the worst in baseball a season ago, this bullpen looks solid on paper. Miguel Castro, Andrew Chafin, and Scott McGough were all massive free-agent additions that should bolster this bullpen. If Jameson is designated to the bullpen, he will be able to eat up innings when the starters are pulled early. Kyle Nelson could be a great lefty option to use in the 6th or the 7th. Mark Melancon struggled from an ERA standpoint last year but was good in save situations. Each pitcher has a special perk. Overall, a bullpen that has a vast number of different dynamics, and overall, a bullpen that should vastly improve from 2022…