Melancon (shoulder) likely to start season on IL

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- D-backs right-hander Mark Melancon has a shoulder issue and is likely to start the season on the injured list.

General manager Mike Hazen declined to get into what the injury might be as Melancon undergoes further evaluation.

“We haven't figured all that out yet,” Hazen said. “I don’t want to get into any more detail than that. We're just gathering more information.”

Melancon, who is in the second year of a two-year contract, entered this spring looking to win back the closer’s role that he lost during the 2022 season. That will have to wait now.

“He’s going to miss the start of the season,” manager Torey Lovullo said.

Bad night for injuries

A trio of players suffered injuries during Wednesday night’s game against the Brewers, which the D-backs led, 2-0, before it was called in the fourth inning due to rain.

On the first play of the game, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and second baseman Diego Castillo collided while going for a ground ball up the middle.

It was a scary scene with both players immediately collapsing to the ground motionless, but they were eventually able to walk off under their own power.

Perdomo was diagnosed with a chest contusion, while Castillo suffered neck spasms. Both players are day to day.

“After visiting with both players, I feel like they're going to be OK,” Lovullo said. “You know, you're worried about concussions, you're worried about fractures, things that are just unseen. But they both are responding very well to treatment right now.”

Right-hander Corbin Martin also exited with two outs in the top of the fourth. He threw a pitch and immediately grabbed his right arm as he dropped to his knees.

“Right now, Martin has right shoulder discomfort,” Lovullo said. “That’s as far as I can go with that. He's continuing to be evaluated right now, so obviously we’re keeping our fingers crossed. We all saw what happened. We all know what it looked like on the mound, but we're obviously looking for the best news possible.”

Martin was acquired by the D-backs from the Astros at the 2019 Trade Deadline in the deal that sent Zack Greinke to Houston. At the time of the trade, Martin was recovering from Tommy John surgery.

After struggling in 2021-22 as a starter, the D-backs were looking at Martin as a reliever this spring and the results to this point had been encouraging. To see him injured was real blow to his teammates and the coaching staff.

“We don't know the extent of it, so we'll keep our fingers crossed,” Lovullo said. “You know, it hasn't been easy for him as far as his health and he's been grinding. And I feel like he's found a niche [in the bullpen]. We're going to hope for the best news possible and he'll be right back out there. But yeah, it's been a grind.

“One of the things he said to me when I saw him in the training room is that it hasn't been easy. It's been a grind for him. But he'll be back out there, whether it's sooner or later, it will happen again for him.”

Pitching schedule

Left-hander Madison Bumgarner had been scheduled to start a day game against the Giants, which was rained out. So the team had pushed him back to start the nightcap against the Brewers.

But when the forecast called for rain that could -- and did -- force a postponement, the club decided to push Bumgarner’s start back to Thursday against the Cubs (Watch on MLB.TV at 1:05 p.m. MST) at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz.