The Unique Skill That Makes Geraldo Perdomo a Dangerous D-backs Weapon

Star shortstop Geraldo Perdomo has been hitting third in the Arizona Diamondbacks' order lately to offer lineup protection to Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll — but not in the traditional sense.

Perdomo is a proficient hitter and has seen an increase in power, of course. But it's his unique ability to work counts and see more than his fair share of pitches that truly becomes a weapon in such a spot.

D-backs' Geraldo Perdomo protecting lineup in non-traditional way

Marte and Carroll are more free-swinging sluggers. Manager Torey Lovullo wants those two stars to be able to hunt for their pitch early, knowing Perdomo is capable of working an opposing pitcher into a high pitch count regardless of how many the two hitters above him see.

"Protecting isn't that he's going to sit over [Marte and Carroll] because he's a better hitter, and he can do more than them," Lovullo said. "The protection is... those guys are hunters, right? They're hunting balls that they can drive into the gaps and out of the ballpark. So that might be 0-0."

"We want them to be go swingers, and then [Perdomo] can put up a 5-7 pitch at-bat as good as anybody. It's ridiculous."

Perdomo will even come up to his manager before an at-bat, ask how many pitches Lovullo wants him to see, and then deliver on that request.

"He will ask me, 'how many pitches do you want me to see this at-bat?' And then he does it, and I'm like, 'Oh my god, it's so easy for you. It's disgusting,'" Lovullo said.

"I like that. I like that, and now I don't have to tell him. He just knows. Once in a while, he'll come to me and say, 'What do you want me to do?' ... You know better than I do. He's that far advanced. He's come that far, and he's that good of a baseball player."

Lovullo said the only player he'd coached previously that came close to that type of count-working proficiency was Red Sox legend Dustin Pedroia.

"He told me one time in the bottom of the ninth inning in a tie game in the playoffs, and he's leading off against Fernando Rodney. He said, 'I'm not going to swing the bat for the entire at-bat, and I'm going to walk. Watch.'

"And they got to 3-2, and I'm like, 'Okay, big guy, what are you going to do right now?' He took, and he walked. That's the only other time I've seen somebody have that much confidence in knowing the pitcher and knowing themselves," Lovullo said.

Perdomo said he doesn't view hitting in the three-hole as any different of a responsibility, however.

Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2) hits a double against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"It doesn't change anything to me. I know my skill. I know what is my job, get on base for the guys behind me. So it's nothing [that's] changed," Perdomo said. "Wherever you put me, I'm gonna be ready to do my job... good at-bat, get on base and and try to keep the at-bat longer."

Perdomo broke out to a .290/.389/.462 slash with 20 homers and a franchise-record (for a shortstop) 100 RBI. His seven-WAR season earned him plenty of national recognition. Thus far in 2026, he's 4-for-12 with a home run.