D-backs call up Reddick, DFA López

Ahead of Thursday’s series finale against the Dodgers, the D-backs announced that they selected the contract of outfielder Josh Reddick, adding him to the 40-man roster and designating pitcher Yoan López for assignment.

Reddick, a 12-year veteran, signed with the D-backs in mid-April and was stationed at Triple-A Reno where he was batting .304/.365/.478 entering Thursday.

“It was a slow offseason for me in regards to teams calling, so when these guys called, I jumped on the opportunity and wanted to make an impact as soon as I could,” Reddick said of his decision to sign with the D-backs and accept a Minor League assignment. “Here we are. Happy to be here and, hopefully, I can help this team get some wins on the board.”

Reddick spent the last four seasons with the Astros, where he was a member of the 2017 World Series championship team. In the shortened 2020 season, Reddick appeared in 56 games, hitting .245/.316/.378 with four home runs and 23 RBIs.

The D-backs wasted no time in putting Reddick to the test, as he started in right field and batted fifth on Thursday.

“He's a good baseball player,” said manager Torey Lovullo. “And he's been doing it at a very high level for a very long time, and in a time of need with somebody doing their job and being very productive in Reno, we felt like this was a good opportunity to have him come up here and help us win some baseball games. That's the bottom line.”

Reddick enters the D-backs organization having experience with both Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen, who both were with the Red Sox organization where Reddick was drafted in 2006.

While primarily a right fielder, Lovullo didn’t commit to whether Reddick will see the majority of his time in the corner outfield spot.

“I don't want to say one way or another what will happen,” Lovullo said, “but we're in need of good baseball players, and the players that are helping us win baseball games are going to play.”

Reddick, above all, is grateful for the continued opportunity to play baseball professionally.

“I want to play as long as I can, whether it be 40, 42, 43, 44 -- until my body tells me I can't do it. … I was put on this earth to play baseball, and that's what I'm here to do,” Reddick said.

In designating López for assignment, the D-backs say goodbye to one of the most expensive international free-agent signings in recent history.

López, who defected from Cuba, signed with the D-backs in 2015 for $8.27 million. At the time, it was a record-setting deal. Because the D-backs went over the international spending limit, they incurred an overage tax of nearly the same sum and faced financial limitations the next two international free-agent signing periods.

“That was a very difficult decision,” Lovullo said. “You have to say goodbye to a player that you've seen grow and learn, and you've been there with him for the good times and the bad. And you've seen some of the most unbelievable reactions to good results. Those things stick with us.”

Around the horn

• Ketel Marte, back from the injured list after recovering from a strained right hamstring, grounded into a double play, later ruled as a forceout, in a pinch-hitting situation during Wednesday’s 4-2 loss.

While Marte did beat the throw to first, he appeared slow coming down the line on replay. Per Lovullo, Marte said he is fine.

“I think that's something we're going to ask him to do,” Lovulo said. “We're not going to force him to do the things that we expect here when you get down the line as fast as you possibly can. We're going to allow him to kind of work through this and look into it to see where he's at. But he's in a good spot.”

• Right-hander Seth Frankoff will start Friday’s series opener against the Rockies in Colorado.

In his first start of the year against the Nationals on Saturday, he allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings.

“Seth did a really nice job of attacking the zone, manipulating the baseball around the zone [and] changing speeds around the zone,” Lovullo said. “And we wanted to see how that continued to play out."

Starters for the games on Saturday and Sunday before Monday’s off-day have not yet been announced.

• Lovullo made it no secret that he didn't care for Tim Locastro’s headfirst dive into first base in Wednesday’s loss, saying, “I'm just not a big fan of headfirst dives into first or home. Second or third, I can live with. So we'll make sure we talk about that.”

He said it
“It's going to be a series that I'm going to be paying close attention to. Super excited for the Suns and [I] want to say congrats to them on their exciting season and wish them luck in the next level of the playoffs.” -- Lovullo, who grew up a Lakers fan, on the Phoenix Suns' playoff matchup with the Lakers