Arizona Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #2: 3/27 @ Dodgers

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 26: A general view of UNIQLO signage before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks during Opening Day at Dodger Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Today’s Lineups​

DIAMONDBACKS​	DODGERS​
Ketel Marte – 2B	Shohei Ohtani – DH
Corbin Carroll – RF	Kyle Tucker – RF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS	Mookie Betts – SS
Gabriel Moreno – C	Freddie Freeman – 1B
Pavin Smith – DH	Will Smith – C
Nolan Arenado – 3B	Max Muncy – 3B
Carlos Santana – 1B	Teoscar Hernandez – LF
Alek Thomas – CF	Andy Pages – CF
Jordan Lawlar – LF	Alex Freeland – 2B
Ryne Nelson – RHP	Emmet Sheehan – RHP

I guess we can’t call it Dodger Stadium any more, since the team has sold the naming rights. It is now officially known as Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. What is a Uniqlo anyway? I’m glad you asked. It’s a Japanese clothing designer and retailer, and they just paid more than $125 million for the five-year deal. Just another way in which the rich get richer. That’s almost twice as much as the D-backs got for their naming rights, to what was then Bank One, and became Chase Field after the takeover. Oh, yeah: and that $66 million was for a thirty-year period. On a per-year basis, it’s less than one-tenth of the Dodgers’ income. Basically, their rights pay for Freddie Freeman. Ours pay for Pavin Smith. And speaking of whom…

Pavin Smith and his left elbow are being evaluated now – would not be surprised if he ends up on the IL

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) March 27, 2026

If that happens, it’ll be interesting to see how the team replaces him. There is only one available position player on the 40-man roster. Jose Fernandez, and it is perhaps of note that he is not in the starting line-up for the Reno Aces this evening. He performed very well in spring training, but there are a few possible issues. He’s right-handed, unlike lefty Smith. Fernandez has almost no professional experience at first (less than 140 innings). And he hasn’t played above Double-A. If he’s going to be purely used as a DH, then that would mitigate the issue. But it again illustrates the difference between us and LA. Their DH tonight? The guy who is on a $700 million contract.

However, there was also this:

Torey Lovullo says Pavin Smith, who was scratched yesterday with an elbow issue, could play tonight depending on how his early batting practice goes. Smith is not in initial lineup, but that could change.

— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) March 27, 2026

And it appears that must have gone well, because the D-backs subsequently changed their line-up. It was otherwise going to be identical to last night, bar the starting pitcher obviously. But you know Torey wasn’t going to start running out the same batting order two games in the row. So Smith is in, replacing Tim Tawa at DH.

Tonight, we see Ryne Nelson, the player who was the SnakePit’s overwhelming choice for Opening Day starter. After last night, and Zac Gallen’s underwhelming fifth inning, we can perhaps be forgiven for saying, “See? Told you so.” Though more circumspect readers will probably want to wait until after tonight. Not that it makes much difference who is #1 and #2. They both would end up facing the Dodgers. Though Nelson has an excellent record (small sample size) in Dodg… er, I mean Uniqlo Field. He has allowed just two runs over fifteen innings of work. Might need to be on that level of form if Arizona is to prevail tonight, going by last night’s offensive showing. But hey, at least we have scored, eh, San Francisco?

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