Tim Tawa to Make MLB Debut as D-backs Face Nationals

The Arizona Diamondbacks are 5-3 on the season, coming off their 6-4 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday. They'll go for their second straight series win on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. MST.

It was a costly win for Arizona, as All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte pulled up limping after a double in the first inning. He immediately exited the game and was later diagnosed with a left hamstring strain.

On Saturday, the D-backs placed him on the 10-day IL. The severity is not yet known as of this writing.

On the mound for Arizona will be the veteran left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez. Rodríguez looked sharp in his season debut against the Cubs, going 5.1 innings with six strikeouts. He allowed only three hits, but did give up three walks and three earned runs on a pair of homers.

Despite that adding up to a 5.06 ERA, the veteran's command looked much improved, and he was able to collect whiffs and punchouts at an encouraging rate. The D-backs have yet to fully see Rodríguez's best stuff, after a shoulder injury held him out of most of 2024.\

The Nationals will send out left-hander Mitchell Parker. The 25-year-old southpaw had a decent, albeit not exceptional, 2024. He threw to a 4.29 ERA over 151 innings, striking out 133, but his FIP was a sturdier 3.85.

He throws his 93 MPH fastball 56% of the time, and divides the other 44% somewhat evenly between a mid-80s splitter, slider and curve. He's a fly-ball pitcher with a penchant for weak contact, and doesn't collect a great number of whiffs or ground balls.

Lineups

As mentioned above, Marte is out of the lineup and on the 10-day IL. In his stead, super utilityman Tim Tawa has been recalled from Triple-A Reno. Tawa is in Saturday's lineup and will make his first career major league start, batting ninth and playing second base.

Tawa is slashing .391/.462/.957 with two doubles, a triple and three homers through his first six games of 2025. He's rocketed up the minor leagues and has played seven out of eight fielding positions (excluding catcher) through his time in the system.

He primarily served as a second baseman in Double-A Amarillo, but roster constrictions in Triple-A Reno have seen him spend a good portion of time in the outfield.

Corbin Carroll hits second against a left-hander, after delivering two crucial homers in Friday's game. Randal Grichuk, who had the eventual game-winning knock, starts at DH and will hit cleanup.

The Nationals' lineup features a decent amount of young rising talent, but it hasn't quite come together just yet. Perhaps Saturday is the day. Former Diamondback Josh Bell will DH and bat cleanup for Washington, with young studs James Wood and Dylan Crews below him.

Tim Tawa to Make MLB Debut as D-backs Face Nationals

Lineups

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