PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks’ dismal season got worse Saturday with the news that All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has a fractured left hand.
Goldschmidt, runnerup in National League MVP voting last season, was hurt when he was hit by a pitch from Ernesto Frieri in the ninth inning of Friday night’s 9-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Diamondbacks have placed Goldschmidt on the 15-day DL and there was no word on how long he is expected to be sidelined.
Despite his team’s overall woes, Goldschmidt is among the NL leaders in several hitting categories.
He leads the league in doubles and extra-base hits, is tied for first in runs scored, is second in total bases and is third in RBIs and walks.
Voted a starter by fans in this year’s All-Star Game, is batting .300 with 19 home runs. He has 75 runs scored, 220 total bases, 39 doubles, a triple, 64 walks and nine stolen bases.
A Gold Glove winner last year, Goldschmidt has seven errors in 109 games.
Arizona recalled outfielder Alfredo Marte from Triple-A Reno to take Goldschmidt’s roster spot.
Goldschmidt was out of the lineup for only the second time this season Friday night but entered in a double-switch in the ninth inning of a game that was tied 4-4 at the time.
The incident immediately drew the wrath of several Diamondbacks players, and there was a showdown between the teams after the game in front of the Arizona dugout. No one did anything but talk, though.
While catcher Miguel Montero called the situation “a little shady,” Goldschmidt said after the game he didn’t think he was hit purposely.
“Guys have to try and get outs,” he said. ” What do you want them to do? Just throw it down the middle? They pitch inside as a team. We do it too. We want our pitchers to be able to pitch inside. You don’t want to see anyone get hurt but sometimes it may or may not happen.’”
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