Diamondbacks Face Athletics in Las Vegas for Big League Weekend

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Athletics are facing off in a new venue on Saturday afternoon. The spring matchup takes the two teams to the city of Las Vegas, the hopeful future home of the former Oakland franchise. This is part of the Big League Weekend event being held at the Triple-A Aviators stadium.

Half of the D-backs' squad made the trip to Las Vegas, while the other half will stay back in Arizona to face the Cincinnati Reds in Goodyear.

On the mound for the D-backs in Las Vegas is left-hander Tommy Henry, who is one of two young lefties set to pitch against the A's this weekend.

24-year-old Henry has pitched in three big league seasons, to the tune of a 5.11 career ERA. He has thrown 4.1 innings so far this spring but has floundered, finding himself with an 8.31 ERA in limited action.

He will very likely start the season in Triple-A with the Aces. This is where Henry spent most of 2024, pitching to a much more effective 4.25 ERA in 108 innings, striking out 114 batters.

Fellow southpaw J.P. Sears will take the mound for the A's. The 29-year-old major leaguer has pitched for the Athletics in each of the last three seasons after being traded to the club by the Yankees. He has been an effective starter, with a 4.36 career ERA and a slightly sub-par 92 ERA+.

In two and a half seasons in Oakland, he pitched in 401 innings. Now in Sacramento, the A's have revitalized their rotation quite a bit, with FanGraphs projecting Sears as the club's 3rd starter behind Luis Severino, and Jeffrey Springs.

Lineups

Headlining the Diamondbacks' lineup in Las Vegas is switch hitting second baseman Ketel Marte. He is joined up the middle by Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop and Jake McCarthy in center field respectively.

At the corners of the infield are Josh Naylor and Jordan Lawlar. Naylor to no surprise will be an MLB regular in 2025 after he was acquired last winter from Cleveland. Lawlar on the other hand, the Diamondbacks' #1 prospect, is generally a shortstop.

Him starting at third base here is an indication of a future path to the big leagues. With Perdomo fresh off an extension, Lawlar will need to find other ways to break onto the roster. Third base, seemingly, could be that path.

2024 draftee Ryan Waldschmidt and top outfield prospect bats 8th and is the only man in the lineup without big-league experience. His exciting future will get a good look during this series.

For the Athletics, newly-extended stars Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler highlight the lineup. Both of them have incredible power potential, but have turned into well-rounded bats in their own right.

Past them the A's feature plenty of young prospect talent. Jacob Wilson, as well as Nick Kurtz, Henry Bolte, and Colby Thomas each have potential, and could one day make a splash at the big league level.

This game will be shown through the Athletics broadcast, and will be played at 2:05 PM MST at Las Vegas Ballpark.