Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith went 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, two runs, and two RBI in his team's 9-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Smith ripped a 416-foot two-run homer off Orioles starter Dean Kremer in the fifth inning, giving his team a 4-0 lead in the contest. The veteran infielder is off to a fast start this season as he's batting .400 with one homer, eight runs, and four RBI in 30 at-bats. He will look to keep his hot streak going as the Diamondbacks have an off day on Thursday before they open a weekend series with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith will take a seat on Saturday afternoon, facing Washington southpaw Mitchell Parker. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to return to the starting nine on Sunday afternoon when they face Washington right-hander Brad Lord. Smith has typically hit the bench when facing left-handed pitchers. Instead, Randal Grichuk will get the starting nod as a designated hitter. Through the first seven contests of the regular season, Smith has held a .313/.450/.500 slash line with three doubles and a 4:9 BB:K. Last season, Smith was very productive against right-handed pitching, as he posted a strong .282/.356/.564 line. Grichuk is worth a look as an option in DFS competitions, facing Parker, who held a 4.29 ERA last season.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith is expected to open the campaign in a platoon role at the designated hitter spot. Being a left-handed bat, Smith should see a majority of the starts. Joc Pederson occupied this role last season but departed in free agency to sign with Texas. When facing a right-handed pitcher last season, the 29-year-old posted a strong .282/.356/.564 slash line with eight home runs and nine doubles. He held a solid 15:27 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, Smith generated a stellar .293 xBA and a .395 xwOBA. Right-handed bat Randal Grichuk will likely slot in on the short side of this platoon. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Smith's status during spring training, as he could also see occasional starts in the outfield and first base. Even though he will likely be in a platoon role, given his impressive splits, he does carry value in deeper formats.
Pavin Smith Settles At $1.5 Million To Avoid Arbitration
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith and the team have settled on a $1.5 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The 28-year-old performed well over his 60-game stint in the majors last summer. Smith held a .270/.348/.547 slash line with 11 doubles, nine home runs, 36 RBI, and one stolen base. He generated a strong .395 xwOBA, .529 xSLG, and a 14.7% barrel rate. He also held a solid 19.6% strikeout rate and an 11.4% walk rate. Fantasy managers should expect the Virginia product to be the primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching this season with Joc Pederson now in Texas. Smith will be worth targeting in deeper formats, as he hit right-handed pitching very well last summer and would carry solid upside, even in a platoon role.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder/first baseman Pavin Smith had a game to remember on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with three homers and eight RBI in a 12-6 win over the Houston Astros. Smith did all of his damage in the first five innings, hitting a three-run homer in the 2nd, a grand slam in the third, and a solo shot in the fifth. The monster game brings the 28-year-old up to a .270 AVG and .905 OPS in 89 at-bats this season. Those numbers aren't too shabby, but the lefty hasn't been able to get into the starting lineup consistently and has spent most of his time in the minors. With a game like this, maybe the D-Backs will get him in the lineup more often. Still, it's hard to trust that one game will change things, so he isn't of much value in fantasy.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith is being sent down to Triple-A Reno. This move is likely to make room for newly acquired Josh Bell. Smith has performed very well in the major leagues this season, holding a .270/.309/.492 line with three home runs, 16 RBI, and a 4:9 BB:K ratio. Prior to being traded to the desert, Josh Bell was heating up in Miami, riding a strong .288/.373/.606 slash line with six home runs, 14 RBI, and a 9:19 BB:K ratio in the past 19 games. The switch-hitter should be expected to serve as the everyday first baseman until Christian Walker (oblique) returns from the IL. When he does return, Bell could see time as the designated hitter. Bell is worth adding in standard leagues as he should have ample scoring opportunities batting in the heart of the Arizona lineup.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Pavin Smith was the hero in his team's 4-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Monday. Smith hit a pinch-hit, walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning to propel Arizona to the win over the Giants. The blast traveled 424 feet and had an exit velocity of 105.7 MPH. Smith is now hitting .255 with two homers, eight runs, and 13 RBI across 47 at-bats in 2024. He will look to stay hot moving forward.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith started as the designated hitter on Tuesday versus the St. Louis Cardinals and had himself a big game. Smith went 2-for-5 with two runs, a home run and six RBI. His home run was a grand slam against Zack Thompson in the top of the sixth inning. Smith was recalled on April 19 and was 0-for-5 entering Tuesday's contest. Smith has shown power in the past, but that is about it and without regular playing time, he can remain on the waiver wire.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith will start at DH and bat fifth in Game 5 of the NLCS. Smith appeared in just 69 games during the regular season, hitting to the tune of .188 with a .325 slugging percentage. The lefty is 3-for-4 in the NLCS after coming off the bench the last two games. Six of Smith's seven home runs came against right-handers this season so manager Torey Lovullo will see if he can cause some trouble for Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler.
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt and first baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith have been optioned to Triple-A Reno on Friday. Pfaadt will head back to the minors after getting crushed for six runs against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. It's a bit surprising that the D-Backs didn't give him a longer leash after recalling him to make this start. The team hasn't announced who is going to replace Pfaadt on the active roster. As for Smith, he'll head to the minors after slashing .190/.310/.332 with seven homers and 30 RBI this season. He'll attempt to sort out his issues at the plate in the minors, but wasn't offer much fantasy value anyway.
Pavin Smith
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Diamondbacks
