Diamondbacks DH Makes Return to Lineup vs Dodgers After Injury Scare

Arizona Diamondbacks DH and infielder Pavin Smith has made his return to the D-backs lineup after he was scratched on Thursday due to left elbow soreness.

Smith underwent an MRI on Friday, but imaging revealed no structural damage, according to manager Torey Lovullo — who called the issue left elbow inflammation. It was up to how Smith felt in BP to determine whether or not he would return to Arizona's lineup against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That BP session certainly appears to have gone well. According to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert, Smith will slot back into the lineup, replacing utilityman Tim Tawa, who took Smith's place in Thursday's game at DH. Tawa went 1-for-3 with an infield single in Smith's stead.

Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith Returns to Lineup

Arizona's lineup looks similar to Thursday's, but with Smith slotting into the fifth spot in the order at DH against a right-hander in Dodgers starter Emmett Sheehan.

Arizona Diamondbacks designated hitter Pavin Smith (26) hits a single, then reaches second base on an error by the Colorado Rockies in the first inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The lineup is as follows:

2B - Ketel Marte
RF - Corbin Carroll
SS - Geraldo Perdomo
C - Gabriel Moreno
DH - Pavin Smith
3B - Nolan Arenado
1B - Carlos Santana
CF - Alek Thomas
LF - Jordan Lawlar

Smith, regardless of how fans may feel about his offensive prowess, is an important member of this lineup. The D-backs do not have much in the way of left-handed hitting outside the obvious top three of Marte, Perdomo and Carroll.

Barring any setbacks or aggravations to Smith's elbow issue, it would appear that he will not be required to spend any time down on the IL. That is a positive development for Arizona's lineup.

Smith missed nearly half of the 2025 season due to injury, hitting .258/.362/.434 over 87 games. He hit eight homers after a breakout 2024 saw him hit to a career-high .895 OPS, though, admittedly, in an even smaller sample size of 60 games.

Even at the Triple-A level, Arizona lacks left-hand slug. Adrian Del Castillo, who was the D-backs' left-handed DH option as 2025 wound down, is dealing with a calf strain on the 10-day Injured List and is not ready to return to play.

The D-backs' offense certainly struggled against a tough right-handed pitcher on Thursday night, putting up just two runs against Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Dodger bullpen.

Having Smith in the lineup Thursday night may not have affected the eventual outcome, which was an ugly 8-2 blowout loss, but he'll be set to make his season debut on Friday.