Diamondbacks Veteran Infielder Leaves Game With Injury

A potential blow to Arizona's infield.

Mar 18, 2026; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Carlos Santana (41) makes the play against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Arizona Diamondbacks veteran first baseman Carlos Santana was removed from the D-backs' series finale matchup with the Atlanta Braves after appearing to tweak something on a check-swing in the bottom of the second inning.

Santana did talk his way into finishing his at-bat after the initial swing. He then came away with a bloop single to left field. But as Santana limped to first base, it was clear he could not continue.

According to an announcement from the team, Santana left the game with right groin tightness. Per manager Torey Lovullo on the D-backs.TV postgame broadcast, Santana will receive imaging and stay back from the D-backs' east coast road trip. Lovullo said the IL is not imminent yet.

Santana was taken out, with veteran utility infielder Ildemaro Vargas pinch-running. The inning ended after Tim Tawa grounded into a double play.

Carlos Santana leaves Diamondbacks game with injury

Diamondbacks first baseman Carlos Santana (41) throws out a Brewers runner at second base during a spring training game against the Brewers at Salt River Fields on March 20, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Santana, who turns 40 on April 8, has not had a particularly explosive start to his tenure in Arizona. The former Gold Glove first baseman was brought in to help improve the Diamondbacks' infield defense, but his bat was struggling. Santana was hitting just .083 with just two base hits in his first six games of 2026.

The Diamondbacks are thin at first base already. Pavin Smith is down on the Injured List with elbow inflammation. Tyler Locklear is working his way back from surgery to both his elbow and shoulder, and does not appear near a return.

If Santana has to miss any amount of significant time, it will likely be a combination of Vargas, Tawa or rookie sensation Jose Fernandez manning first base.

All three of those options are competent at first base, but the D-backs did go into 2026 with the expectation that they would have a more solidified, if not flashy, first base solution — a platoon of Santana and Smith.

Since the departure of Christian Walker ahead of 2025 and the trade of Josh Naylor in the middle of that season at the Deadline, Arizona has not had a true everyday first baseman. There is hope for some development out of Locklear, but his small sample size has not been particularly promising yet.

If Arizona does have to place Santana on the IL, it may end up providing more of a development runway for Fernandez in terms of his defense — something that is of the utmost importance to manager Torey Lovullo and GM Mike Hazen. Getting early reps could help in that development process without limiting Fernandez to occasional playing time.

Vargas, in Santana's place, hit a two-run triple in his first at-bat.