DIAMONDBACKS

Diamondbacks' Chris Owings, Didi Gregorius both expected to play

Nick Piecoro
azcentral sports

Didi Gregorius #1 of the Arizona Diamondbacks is congratulated by third base coach Glenn Sherlock #53 after hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning of a game at Coors Field on June 4, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. The Diamondbacks led the Rockies 3-0 after one inning.

DENVER – When the season began, the Diamondbacks did not want to have both Chris Owings and Didi Gregorius on the roster simultaneously. They believed sharing time wouldn't be good for either player's development.

But it appears Cliff Pennington's injury has changed the situation. With Gregorius brought up this week to replace Pennington on the roster, manager Kirk Gibson said he spoke with Owings to explain how he envisioned playing time shaking out in the coming weeks.

Gibson had Owings on the bench Wednesday, one day after he delivered three hits and fell only a single short of the cycle. Owings is hitting .274, his .752 OPS ranking fifth among major-league shortstops.

"I don't want Didi to come up here to sit," Gibson said. "He's a young guy and I think he needs to play to remain effective. It might take some of C.O.'s time away from him."

For the first two months, Owings was the team's starting shortstop with Pennington filling in every five days or so. It still sounds like Owings will see the majority of the playing time, but he might sit more often than before.

"I look at Chris Owings as having a very good year right now," Gibson said. "He has all the makings of a championship player. And certainly somebody we think very highly of. I don't want him to get disappointed or look over his shoulder. It's just the way it's going to work for the team right now. He's totally open to that and he'll be ready whenever I ask him to be ready."

Gibson said Gregorius could occasionally find his way into the lineup at second base.

Long journey

Utilityman Nick Evans' long journey back to the majors culminated on Tuesday night when his solo homer in the fourth inning seemingly jump-started the Diamondbacks' offense in their win over the Rockies.

The blast, his first in the majors since Sept. 3, 2011, came a little more than a year after Evans found himself jobless less than a week before Opening Day.

The Diamondbacks had a need in Double-A and signed him to a minor-league deal. Evans, who had played parts of four seasons in the majors with the New York Mets, didn't view Double-A as a demotion.

"I feel like a lot of the time you get caught up between Double-A and Triple-A," he said.

"The minor leagues is the minor leagues. In Triple-A, there are older guys and nicer stadiums, but getting at-bats consistently is the most important thing."

He decided to sign back with the team after last season, in large part because he considered the Diamondbacks a "classy organization."

He hopes his ability to play all four corner positions makes him a useful player to have around.

"Being able to go into different spots defensively and be a bat off the bench — obviously, everybody wants to play every day, but you have to know your role and do the best you can at it," he said.

Short hops

Pennington underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair a partially torn ligament in his left thumb. The surgery was performed by Dr. Don Sheridanand Pennington is expected to resume baseball activities in eight to 10 weeks.

• Pitching coach Mike Harkey missed Wednesday night's game to attend his daughter's graduation.

Up next

Diamondbacks. vs. Rockies

When: Thursday at 5:40 p.m.

Where: Coors Field, Denver

TV/radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM 620, KMVP-FM 98.7, KSUN-AM 1400

Pitching matchup: Diamondbacks RHP Bronson Arroyo (4-4, 4.39) vs. Rockies RHP Juan Nicasio (5-3, 4.06).

Notable: Arroyo gave up five runs in seven innings on Friday against the Cincinnati Reds. Arroyo finished May with a 2.49 ERA in six starts. He has a 4.94 ERA in 71 career innings against the Rockies, but a 7.62 ERA at Coors Field. … Nicasio gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Indians in his most recent start. He gave up one run in seven innings against the Diamondbacks on April 4 at Coors Field.

Upcoming pitchers

Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon McCarthy (1-7, 5.20) vs. Braves RHP Julio Teheran (5-3, 1.83).

Saturday: At Chase Field, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Wade Miley (3-6, 4.85) vs. Braves RHP Ervin Santana (5-2, 4.10).

Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Chase Anderson (4-0, 3.32) vs. Braves RHP Aaron Harang (4-4, 3.24).