By activating outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from the injured list, the Arizona Diamondbacks had to make room on the roster.
This past weekend, they designated a 29-year-old first baseman for assignment. He made his Major League debut in 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals and has yet to land a full-time role in the Majors despite having above-average power.
Now, the D-Backs have sent Luken Baker outright to Triple-A Reno. If Baker chooses, he can deny the assignment and elect free agency.
Baker has four career home runs in 194 trips to the plate with the Cardinals and D-Backs. He collected one hit and struck out three times in five plate appearances during his short stint with Arizona.
Maybe Baker needs more playing time to prove his worth in the Majors, as he’s never played more than 33 games in a season.
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Triple-A pitching seems to be no problem for him, as the 6-foot-4, 285-pound slugger had back-to-back seasons with 32 or more home runs from 2023-24.
Don’t be surprised if another team gives Baker a chance if he elects free agency. Every lineup needs a little pop in case of injury.