Arizona Diamondbacks fans got the scare they were dreading in the ninth inning of Sunday’s series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals, when Corbin Carroll was pulled before his scheduled at-bat.
Carroll was supposed to hit at the bottom of the ninth, but Jorge Barrosa came up instead to warm up. Arizona Central’s Nick Piecoro reported that the All-Star appeared to have been hurt in a previous at-bat, and the timing only made the concern louder with the game tied and Carroll out of the lineup for the finish.
The reaction around the team was immediate. One fan wrote, “Uhhhh Corbin Carroll has been pulled from the game, Jorge Barrosa takes his spot in the 9th… not good. Wincing after a swing his last AB”
Another added, “I’m worried but not too worried if he felt good enough to go in the field after”
And another posted, “Please Lord no https://t.co/tcbUvCtJoT”
The Diamondbacks did manage to turn the night into a celebration. They rallied in extra innings, and Max Kepler delivered the winning hit to score Barrosa, who started the frame as the ghost runner on second.
Arizona’s 7-0 comeback win also secured the series against St. Louis.
Even with the victory, the news on Carroll wasn’t ideal. Torey Lovullo’s update, as relayed by Piecoro, said Carroll hyperextended his elbow and is day to day.
That’s a relief in the sense that it isn’t a long-term diagnosis, but it still matters. Carroll is one of the most dangerous bats in the lineup, and Arizona has already been dealing with a growing injury list. He’s also been trying to shake off a cold stretch at the plate and get back to his All-Star level.
Friday’s game against the Cardinals looked like a step in that direction, with Carroll launching a game-tying home run late. On Sunday, he went 1-for-4 with a double before leaving the game.
With the playoff race tightening and the Diamondbacks still weighing whether to buy or sell ahead of the deadline, every game carries extra weight. Losing one of their top three hitters, even briefly, could have real consequences if the injuries keep piling up.
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