Just a couple of days after saying Jose Fernandez likely would not factor into the club’s plans at first base, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo gave Fernandez the start there on April 1 in the series finale against the Detroit Tigers.
There is no blaming Lovullo for changing his mind after Fernandez’s incredible debut the night before, in which he collected three hits, including a pair of home runs, the last of which was the go-ahead, three-run shot in the eighth inning of a 7-5 victory.
Lovullo described himself as “still enjoying the hangover” of Fernandez’s epic performance.
“I said it 30 times last night to anybody that would listen: I cannot believe what happened,” Lovullo said. “I cannot believe this moment. This is so special. We all have to enjoy it. I woke up at 3:30 thinking about it. I was up from 3:30 to 4:30 with a smile on my face.”
Fernandez came through the minors mostly as a shortstop and third baseman, but he logged 17 career games at first beginning in 2024.
“I had some options and I thought this bat needs to stay in the lineup,” Lovullo said. “He’s going to play first base today.
“… He’s played a lot of games at first base. He’s ready. He’s prepared. He’s been drilled up over there. We feel very good about what our options are when we put him at third base, first or short. He’s just a very good defender overall.”
Tigers at Diamondbacks, 12:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (0-1, 9.00) vs. Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (1-0, 0.00).
At Chase Field: Gallen threw four scoreless innings before running into trouble in the fifth at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day. All five batters he faced that inning reached base, with four of them eventually scoring. … Gallen averaged 94.1 mph with his fastball but elicited zero swings and misses with the pitch. He got five whiffs with his slider. … He has faced the Tigers twice in his career, giving up eight runs in 12 1/3 innings. … Skubal is the two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner in the American League. He logged six scoreless innings in his first start of the year, with no walks and six strikeouts. … In his only career start against the Diamondbacks, Skubal was dominant, firing six shutout innings of one-hit ball, with no walks and six strikeouts.
Coming up
April 2: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (0-0, 7.71) vs. Braves RHP Reynaldo Lopez (0-0, 1.50).
April 3: At Chase Field, 6:45 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00) vs. Braves RHP Grant Holmes (0-1, 5.40).
April 4: At Chase Field, 4:15 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (1-0, 0.00) vs. Braves RHP Bryce Elder (1-0, 0.00).
