Diamondbacks Give Relieving Gabriel Moreno Injury Update

Torey Lovullo gave encouraging health updates on Gabriel Moreno and other key players

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (14) walks out onto the field before they play the Cleveland Guardians at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale on March 1, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks and their fans have been holding their breath since the news of star catcher Gabriel Moreno experiencing forearm tightness, resulting in him needing to get an MRI.

Fortunately for Moreno and the team, there is no structural damage to his arm. The official diagnosis is right elbow inflammation. He will have two or three days down without throwing and then test it out.

Lovullo said he anticipates that, barring any setbacks, Moreno will be available at the start of the season.

Other Diamondbacks Health Updates

Pavin Smith, who is also experiencing some forearm tightness, did not require an MRI. He will get a few days off, and combined with the off day on March 17, will have had a full five days of rest. He is expected to play again on March 18.

Corbin Carroll is the DH on Saturday and is also expected to DH on Sunday March 15. He will take backfield reps in the outfield as well.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. continues to impress with the speed of his recovery from a torn ACL. He was supposed to get a chance to run in his recent backfield game, but hit a home run and struck out twice, so he did not get a chance to run.

Lovullo said that Gurriel could possibly get into a game or two at the very end of Spring Training as a DH, but the team is being very conservative with their approach and he will almost certainly open the season in the injured list and go on a rehab assignment with Reno at some point.

Alek Thomas was given an extra day to reintegrate himself back into major league camp after participating in the World Baseball classic. He is expected to play in Sunday's Cactus League game, but Lovullo wasn't sure if he would be in left field or center as of this writing.

Michael Soroka threw 58 pitches in his start for team Canada on Friday. That was after throwing 54 pitches in his previous outing. Likely to be the fifth starter to open the season due to Merill Kelly's injury, Soroka will need at least one more start to get over 70 pitches prior to the start of the season.

Zac Gallen's pitch count target for Saturday against the Giants is in the 55-pitch range according to Lovullo, with four "up-downs."