| Date | News | Comment |
| May 4 2025 | Ahmed cleared waivers and elected to become a free agent Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran shortstop was designated for assignment by the Rangers on Friday, and he won't stick with the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. Ahmed appeared in five games during his brief time in the majors and went 0-for-9 with a walk and a stolen base. |
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| May 2 2025 | The Rangers designated Ahmed for assignment Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's removal from the 40-man roster clears a spot for the addition of Blaine Crim. The veteran shortstop is hitless in 10 plate appearances during his time with the big club this season. |
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| Apr 15 2025 | The Rangers re-signed Ahmed to a minor-league contract Tuesday, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed spent the spring with the Rangers before he was let go March 22. The veteran infielder has been working out in Arizona and will join one of Texas' minor-league affiliates in the coming days. |
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| Mar 22 2025 | Ahmed was released by the Rangers on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was in camp on a minor-league deal and had a solid spring, tallying 11 hits across 34 at-bats. That could be enough for him to catch the attention of another team and earn a minor-league deal or perhaps a short-term major-league contract. |
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| Feb 4 2025 | The Rangers signed Ahmed to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to major-league spring training Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed, 34, spent the 2024 campaign splitting action with the Giants, Dodgers and Padres. A glove-first middle infielder, Ahmed slashed .229/.267/.295 with two home runs and 17 runs batted in across 71 regular-season games last year. The veteran will look to win a job behind Marcus Semien, Corey Seager (hip/hernia) and Josh Smith in the middle of the Rangers' infield this spring. |
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| Sep 22 2024 | The Padres selected Ahmed's contract on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed is back in the majors and will provide infield depth in the absence of Mason McCoy, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with back inflammation. While Ahmed has been in the San Diego organization since Sept. 1, he never made an appearance with a minor-league affiliate and was instead working at the team's complex in Arizona. He had hit .232/.271/.300 in 69 games between the Dodgers and Giants this season. |
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| Sep 1 2024 | Ahmed signed a minor-league contract with the Padres on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old elected free agency last week after being designated for assignment by the Giants, and he'll continue his 2024 tour of the NL West with San Diego. Ahmed has played in 69 games between the Dodgers and Giants this season and has a .232/.271/.300 slash line with two home runs and two steals. |
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| Aug 22 2024 | Ahmed elected free agency Thursday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was designated for assignment Monday and outrighted off the Dodgers' roster Thursday. Rather than accepting his assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City, he elected free agency and will now be looking for a new opportunity around the league. |
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| Aug 19 2024 | Ahmed was designated for assignment by Los Angeles on Monday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has seen his playing time dwindle over the last few weeks, totaling only 24 at-bats so far in August. Following the return of Tommy Edman (wrist) and Max Muncy (oblique) from the injured list Monday, the club has elected to send the veteran shortstop to the waiver wire. |
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| Aug 11 2024 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After signing a one-year contract with the Dodgers on July 24, Ahmed had started at shortstop in 11 of the club's ensuing 12 games, but he's faded into a reserve role following Miguel Rojas' return from the injured list Wednesday. Now on the bench for the third time in four contests, Ahmed is a candidate to lose his spot on the roster once the Dodgers return the likes of Tommy Edman (wrist), Max Muncy (oblique), Chris Taylor (groin) and Mookie Betts (hand) from the injured list. |
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| Jul 25 2024 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Thursday's 6-4 win over the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed inked a major-league deal with the Dodgers on Wednesday and went 1-for-3 during his debut with Los Angeles. In his second game, Ahmed lifted a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning against his former team. Before being released by the Giants on July 11, Ahmed logged a .232 batting average with one homer, 15 RBI and 13 runs in 172 plate appearances. |
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| Jul 24 2024 | Ahmed signed a major-league contract with the Dodgers on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was released by the Giants on July 10 but will now find work in the Dodgers' infield as Miguel Rojas (forearm) heads to the IL. Ahmed slashed just .232/.278/.303 through 172 plate appearances during his time in San Francisco, though he will still see the majority of reps at shortstop while Rojas is out. |
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| Jul 11 2024 | The Giants released Ahmed on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Rather than remaining in the Giants organization and heading to Triple-A Sacramento after clearing waivers, Ahmed will test his luck on the open market. The 34-year-old still brings a reliable glove at shortstop, but he's never been anything more than a league-average hitter during his career and has taken a big step back in that regard over the past two seasons. Since the start of the 2023 season, Ahmed has hit just .221/.266/.303 (59 wRC+) in 382 plate appearances, so he's unlikely to be promised regular playing time at his next landing spot. |
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| Jul 9 2024 | The Giants designated Ahmed for assignment Tuesday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Wilmer Flores (knee) and Thairo Estrada (wrist) both returning from the injured list Tuesday, Ahmed will be squeezed off the Giants' 40-man roster. The 34-year-old shortstop has slashed .232/.278/.303 in 172 plate appearances this season and would hold extremely little fantasy value if he were to be picked up by another team. |
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| Jun 30 2024 | Ahmed will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will pick up his third consecutive start, with Sunday's assignment coming against a lefty (James Paxton) after the prior two had come versus right-handed pitching. Though he had previously been occupying a short-side platoon role at shortstop with Brett Wisely, Ahmed should have shortstop all to himself for the foreseeable future with Wisely having moved over to second base following Thairo Estrada's (wrist) placement on the injured list Friday. |
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| Jun 24 2024 | Ahmed went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and two walks in Monday's 5-4 win over the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The homer was Ahmed's first of the season. The shortstop has gone 5-for-14 (.357) with two RBI and one stolen base over six contests since he returned from a wrist injury that sidelined him for a month. Ahmed is slashing .250/.291/.323 with 13 RBI, 11 runs scored, four doubles, one triple and one steal through 136 plate appearances. He hasn't been strictly limited to a short-side platoon role since his return, but Brett Wisely is seeing a majority of the reps at shortstop and is also hitting a solid .262 in June. |
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| Jun 17 2024 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed had served as the Giants' primary shortstop before landing on the injured list May 10 with a sprained left wrist, but he looks like he'll have to settle for a short-side platoon role now that he's healthy again. Since being activated Friday, the righty-hitting Ahmed has drawn two starts at shortstop -- both against lefties -- while the lefty-hitting Brett Wisely has occupied the position in two straight matchups with righties. Wisely has earned the larger portion of the timeshare at shortstop by slashing .313/.329/.478 over 23 games since being called up from Triple-A Sacramento. |
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| Jun 16 2024 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed went 3-for-7 with a stolen base and a run scored while starting at shortstop for the Giants in both of the team's games since he returned from the injured list Friday. Both of those starts came against left-handed pitchers, making it unclear if he's the team's preferred option at the position or if the lefty-hitting Brett Wisely will operate in the strong side of a platoon. Wisely is in the lineup at shortstop Sunday, but the Angels are deploying a right-handed opener (Ben Joyce) rather than a traditional starter. |
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| Jun 15 2024 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has gone 3-for-7 over two games since he returned from a five-week absence due to a wrist injury. It looks like he'll reclaim a starting job at shortstop, though the Angels have faced a pair of southpaws since Ahmed's return. The righty-hitting infielder was starting prior to his injury, but lefty-hitting Brett Wisely has batted .311 and saw a large share of playing time while Ahmed was out. Ahmed is slashing .248/.282/.299 with no home runs, one steal, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored over 126 plate appearances this season and is primarily valued for his defense rather than his bat. |
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| Jun 14 2024 | The Giants reinstated Ahmed (wrist) from the 10-day injured list Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Areareports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has been sidelined just over a month by a sprained left wrist but is ready to rejoin the Giants after three rehab appearances in the minors. He was operating as San Francisco's primary shortstop prior to the injury, largely due to his reliable glove, and he has a .236/.274/.291 slash line through 36 games this season. |
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| Jun 11 2024 | Ahmed (wrist) returned to Triple-A Sacramento's lineup for Tuesday's game versus Reno and went 0-for-4. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was pulled off of his rehab assignment after his first game June 1 due to a setback with his sprained left wrist. The shortstop is rehabbing alongside Marco Luciano (hamstring), though there's no guarantee either player will have a starting job waiting for them once cleared to return to the majors. |
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| Jun 10 2024 | Ahmed (wrist) resumed full baseball activities at the Giants' spring training complex in Arizona over the weekend and could soon head back out on a minor-league rehab assignment, MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was placed on the 10-day injured list May 10 with a left wrist sprain but was cleared to head out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on June 1. The veteran shortstop appeared in just one game, however, before he experienced a setback with his wrist, resulting in him being shut down for about a week. Given the brevity of his shutdown period, Ahmed shouldn't have to wait too long before rejoining a minor-league affiliate, but his return from the IL could still be a week away, if not longer. Brett Wisely and Casey Schmitt should continue to hold down the fort at shortstop for the Giants until Ahmed is ready for activation. |
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| May 31 2024 | Ahmed (wrist) will begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed landed on the injured list after spraining his left wrist against Atlanta on May 9. Prior to the injury, he was slashing .236/.274/.291 with 11 RBI. It's unclear how many rehab outings Ahmed will have, but a return to the big club would be timely after Marco Luciano was placed on the 10-day IL on Friday due to a right hamstring strain. |
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| May 27 2024 | Ahmed (wrist) is slated to take batting practice in the coming days, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has been sidelined since early may with a left wrist sprain but is almost ready to test things out with some BP. It's not clear whether the Giants will ask Ahmed to go out on a rehab assignment before being activated, but it seems likely. Marco Luciano has been filling in at shortstop. |
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| May 10 2024 | The Giants placed Ahmed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a left wrist sprain. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed appeared to have sustained the injury on an awkward swing during his at-bat in the third inning in Thursday's game against Atlanta. Tyler Fitzgerald pinch hit for Ahmed in the fourth inning. Casey Schmitt, who was called up from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move, is starting at shortstop and batting seventh for Friday's game against the Reds, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. |
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| May 9 2024 | Ahmed was removed from Thursday's game against the Rockies due to left wrist discomfort, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed took an awkward-looking swing during his first at-bat, and he was later pinch hit for by Tyler Fitzgerald in the fourth inning. The Giants didn't specify the severity of Ahmed's injury, though it's possible the 34-year-old shortstop sits out another game or two as a precaution. |
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| May 6 2024 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will take a seat for the series finale, ending a stretch of six consecutive starts. Tyler Fitzgerald will step in as the Giants' starting shortstop Monday. |
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| Apr 28 2024 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed started the previous 12 games but will take a seat Sunday after he posted a .616 OPS during that stretch. Tyler Fitzgerald will receive a start at shortstop and bat ninth. |
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| Apr 14 2024 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will get just his second day off through the Giants' first 16 games of the season, with Tyler Fitzgerald stepping in to replace him at shortstop. The Giants value Ahmed primarily for his steady glove in the middle infield, as he hasn't offered much to get excited about from a fantasy perspective despite his standing as an everyday player. Over his 48 plate appearances on the season, Ahmed is hitting .261 with zero home runs or stolen bases, six RBI and three runs. |
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| Apr 11 2024 | Ahmed went 3-for-3 with a triple, three runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The bottom of the Giants' batting order drove the offense in this one, as Ahmed (the No. 8 hitter) and Tyler Fitzgerald (No. 9) combined for half of the team's 12 hits, both its extra-base hits and eight total runs plus RBI. Ahmed hadn't had a multi-hit performance since Opening Day, but the veteran shortstop is having a solid start to his first campaign in San Francisco, batting .282 (11-for-39) through 13 games with three runs and six RBI. |
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| Mar 31 2024 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed went 3-for-10 with a double and two RBI in the first three games of the season but will take a seat Sunday. Tyler Fitzgerald will step in at shortstop and bat ninth in the series finale. |
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| Mar 28 2024 | The Giants selected Ahmed's contract from Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. He'll start at shortstop and bat ninth in the Giants' season opener versus the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was signed as a non-roster invitee in late February but wound up winning the everyday shortstop job over Marco Luciano, who has been optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. |
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| Mar 10 2024 | Ahmed is now ahead of Marco Luciano for the starting job at shortstop, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has enjoyed a torrid start to the spring since signing a minor-league deal with the Giants on Feb. 26. He's gone 5-for-9 with two home runs, five RBI, five runs and two walks over four Cactus League games. That's far better than Luciano's 1-for-14 (.071) mark with nine strikeouts over six contests. Ahmed also provides veteran experience and solid defense, while Luciano has struggled in the field in spring games. Ahmed's chances of keeping up this pace are low -- he slashed .212/.257/.303 with just two home runs over 72 contests last season with the Diamondbacks before he was released in September. |
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| Feb 26 2024 | Ahmed signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will provide some protection at shortstop for presumed starter Marco Luciano, who is currently dealing with a minor hamstring injury. The soon-to-be 34-year-old Ahmed slashed just .212/.257/.303 with two home runs in 210 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks last season before being released in September. He does still offer a steady glove, although it's been more above-average than elite in recent years. |
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| Sep 6 2023 | The Diamondbacks designated Ahmed for assignment Wednesday, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will be pushed off the 40-man roster in order to clear space for top-prospect Jordan Lawlar's arrival. Ahmed posted just a .560 OPS across 210 plate appearances in the majors this season, and he's unlikely to return to the big leagues if he goes unclaimed off waivers. |
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| Jul 20 2023 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's 5-3 win over Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed doubled home a run in the sixth inning then singled in another in the eighth. Those proved to be key insurance runs when Atlanta scored in the seventh and ninth innings. The emergence of Geraldo Perdomo, who typically starts against righties, has limited Ahmed's opportunities, but the 33-year-old started against righty Charlie Morton on Wednesday. He's slashing .311/.364/.459 against right-handers in 2023. |
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| Jul 16 2023 | Ahmed went 1-for-2 with a double, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Blue Jays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed doubled, stole third and raced home on a wild pitch in the second inning to give Arizona an early 2-0 lead, the only time the Diamondbacks held a lead during a three-game sweep by Toronto. Ahmed was later pinch hit for against righty Trevor Richards. The switch-hitting Geraldo Perdomo gets the bulk of the starts at shortstop with Ahmed typically in the lineup against lefties only. |
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| Jun 29 2023 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a double in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was in the starting lineup against Tampa Bay righty Zach Eflin. The shortstop typically doesn't start against right-handers, but the Diamondbacks have seen a string of them lately. His previous start was a week ago, June 22, also against a righty. Ahmed has just 30 plate appearances during the month of June, and the job share between he and Geraldo Perdomo that started the season now tilts heavily in favor of the latter. |
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| Jun 10 2023 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Saturday's win over the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed got the Diamondbacks on the board with a two-out, two-run homer in the second inning and has now hit safely in three straight contests. The long ball was only his second of the season as the shortstop continues to split time at the position with Geraldo Perdomo, with the former starting predominantly against left-handed pitching. Ahmed will now look to extend his hitting streak to four games after previously going hitless in six straight. |
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| May 9 2023 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 in Monday's 5-2 win over the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's eighth-inning single snapped an 0-for-20 slide and is batting .227 after showing some life with the bat early in the season. What began as a job-share at shortstop with Geraldo Perdomo has become more of a classic platoon, with the right-handed hitting Ahmed starting against lefties. That Perdomo is a switch hitter and is raking (1.062 OPS) could lead to a reduction in Ahmed's opportunities going forward. |
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| Apr 4 2023 | Ahmed is not in the Diamondbacks' starting lineup Tuesday versus the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Geraldo Perdomo will take a turn at shortstop and bat eighth against the Padres and right-hander Yu Darvish. Ahmed is 4-for-12 (.333) with one double and one RBI through four games played this season. |
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| Apr 2 2023 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Sunday's game versus the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed is 2-for-8 with a double and a run scored through three games and will step out of the lineup Sunday in Los Angeles. Geraldo Perdomo will take over at shortstop and bat eighth in the series finale. |
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| Mar 31 2023 | Ahmed isn't in the Diamondbacks' lineup Friday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After doubling and scoring a run Thursday, Ahmed will take a seat Friday in favor of Geraldo Perdomo, who will start at shortstop and bat ninth. |
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| Mar 29 2023 | Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Ahmed is not likely to play every day early in the season, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed, who is coming off shoulder surgery, will be eased into the year while keeping young shortstop Geraldo Perdomo active. It's unclear how the job-share will shake out over the course of the season. Perdomo's bat slumped over the course of 148 games and 500 plate appearances while filling in for Ahmed in 2022 and might not be ready for an everyday gig at this point. |
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| Mar 7 2023 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 in Monday's spring game against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed made his Cactus League debut after missing a week due to forearm tightness. He struck out in his first two plate appearances before singling his third time through. His return to game action kicks off shortstop watch in camp. Ahmed, who turns 33 next week, and the 23-year-old Geraldo Perdomo will share the position, though it's unclear how the playing time will be divided. |
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| Mar 6 2023 | Ahmed (forearm) is starting at shortstop and batting sixth Monday versus the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will make his spring training debut Monday after experiencing some inflammation in his right forearm, forcing him to miss the first week-and-a-half of action. The 32-year-old only played in 17 games last season while dealing with injury, producing a .231 average with three homers, seven RBI and seven runs scored over 52 at-bats. |
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| Mar 5 2023 | Ahmed (forearm) will most likely start at shortstop Monday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Monday would be Ahmed's debut after he missed the first week-and-a-half of Cactus League action with a forearm/wrist injury. He entered camp coming off shoulder surgery, but that was not considered a major issue prior to the latest injury. |
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| Feb 26 2023 | Ahmed (shoulder) will miss the next five days with inflammation in his left forearm, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Diamondbacks planned to delay Ahmed's game participation this spring in deference to the shoulder surgery he underwent last year, but it looks like a new condition has cropped up. The shortstop is now experiencing inflammation in his forearm, for which he received a cortisone shot. There's no reason to believe Ahmed will miss extended time, but the new injury gives manager Torey Lovullo an opportunity to evaluate depth at the position, including Geraldo Perdomo, who was expected to battle Ahmed for the starting job this spring. |
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| Feb 24 2023 | Ahmed (shoulder) will not play in the Diamondbacks' Cactus League opener Saturday, Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's merely a precautionary measure as Ahmed completes his recovery from the shoulder surgery he underwent last June. He has been throwing without issue so far in camp, but the Diamondbacks want him to build up a bit more power and endurance before exposing his surgically repaired right arm to live competition. There's no current worry about his readiness for the start of the 2023 regular season. |
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| Jan 28 2023 | Ahmed (shoulder) is expected to be ready for the start of spring training, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed told Piecoro he's been swinging "full go" for about a month, and that he's making progress in his throwing program. The shortstop missed the second half of the 2022 season after undergoing season-ending surgery in June to fix a labrum tear and two bone spurs in his right shoulder. Assuming good health, he'll likely open the 2023 season as the Diamondbacks' starting shortstop, but his lack of offensive upside severely limits his potential fantasy output. |
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| Jun 22 2022 | Ahmed underwent shoulder surgery June 15 and will miss the remainder of the season, Nick Piecoro of Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has been dealing with shoulder issues since late in the 2021 season but put off surgery as long as possible. Non-invasive treatments provided ephemeral relief, so the shortstop eventually agreed to undergo surgery. Geraldo Perdomo will hold down shortstop for the rest of the season. |
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| Jun 13 2022 | Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Monday that Ahmed will undergo surgery on his right shoulder, Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed missed the start of the season with a shoulder issue and was only able to return for 17 games before heading back to the injured list. His issue evidently won't go away without surgery, and the Diamondbacks are merely hopeful that he'll be able to return this season. Expect Geraldo Perdomo to handle shortstop for most of the rest of the year and potentially the entire campaign. |
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| Jun 8 2022 | The Diamondbacks transferred Ahmed to the 60-day injured list Wednesday while he contends with right shoulder inflammation. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was initially deactivated May 17 without the Diamondbacks applying an injury designation, an indication that he was out for COVID-19-related protocols. He resumed baseball activities just over a week later, but he was recently shut down after experiencing renewed discomfort in his shoulder. Ahmed opened the season on the IL on account of a shoulder problem and dealt with the issue late in 2021, so the Diamondbacks may have decided a prolonged shutdown was the best option to allow the inflammation to subside. Geraldo Perdomo now appears poised to serve as Arizona's everyday shortstop through the All-Star break while Ahmed is on the shelf. |
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| Jun 3 2022 | Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Ahmed will be shut down after dealing with some right shoulder soreness during his rehab, Jake Crouse of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has been on the COVID-19 injured list since May 17, but he was cleared to play in extended spring training games this week. However, he's apparently dealing with a shoulder issue and will meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache to determine the next steps in his rehab process. It's not yet clear when the 32-year-old will be able to rejoin the Diamondbacks, but Geraldo Perdomo should continue to serve as the team's primary shortstop in Ahmed's absence. |
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| Jun 2 2022 | Ahmed (undisclosed) is expected to play in two games at extended spring training this week, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The report indicates the first game was Wednesday and the second one expected Thursday. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said if all goes well, Ahmed will be re-evaluated to determine next steps. |
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| May 31 2022 | Ahmed (undisclosed) resumed light baseball activity May 27, Jack Sommers of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Ahmed is still dealing with fatigue, while the shortstop said he's "responded OK from" taking batting practice, fielding light groundballs and playing catch. "It hit me quick and hard," Ahmed said of the virus. "I've been trying to recover since. I'm still not back to normal yet, unfortunately." Geraldo Perdomo is the primary starter at shortstop while Ahmed works his way back. |
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| May 17 2022 | Ahmed was placed on the injured list Monday for an undisclosed reason, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Ahmed's "shoulder is feeling fine," despite recent news that it flared up in recent days, and stressed it's not the reason the shortstop landed on the IL. So, if it's not the shoulder, then it could be COVID-related. Geraldo Perdomo is expected to see the bulk of the playing time at short while Ahmed is sidelined. |
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| May 16 2022 | Ahmed isn't starting Monday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed started in the last two games and went 2-for-6 with an RBI and two strikeouts. Geraldo Perdomo will take his place at shortstop and bat seventh. |
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| May 15 2022 | Arizona manager Torey Lovullo cited Ahmed's "cranky" right shoulder for the decision to hold him out of Friday's starting lineup, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was in Saturday's lineup, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, but it sounds like the shoulder is and will be an ongoing issue. "My shoulder doesn't feel perfect, but I'm going to try to keep playing through it as long as I can," Ahmed said. "That's kind of all I have to say." Ahmed, who missed the first two weeks of the regular season, returned with a bang, going 8-for-23 with three home runs over his first seven games played. Since then, he's gone 3-for-26 with eight strikeouts, looking much like the same hitter we saw 2021, when he finished with a .224/.280/.339 slash line. |
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| May 13 2022 | Ahmed isn't starting Friday against the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has hit just .091 with three runs, two RBI, two walks and six strikeouts over his last seven games, and he'll take a seat for the third time in the last four matchups. Geraldo Perdomo will start at shortstop and bat ninth. |
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| May 11 2022 | Ahmed isn't starting Wednesday's game against Miami. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has hit just .091 with three runs, two RBI, two walks and six strikeouts over his last seven games, and he'll be on the bench for the second time in the last three matchups. Geraldo Perdomo will start at shortstop and bat eighth. |
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| May 9 2022 | Ahmed isn't starting Monday against the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will get a breather after he went 1-for-11 with a run, an RBI and a strikeout over the last three games. Geraldo Perdomo will start at shortstop and bat ninth. |
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| May 7 2022 | Ahmed went 0-for-3 in Friday's 4-1 win over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed initially tore it up after being activated off the injury list, going 8-for-23 (.348) with three home runs, but he's now hitless over 13 consecutive at-bats and hitting .235. He remains the team's primary shortstop, but there will be a rotation of sorts among four players in the infield. Josh Rojas and Geraldo Perdomo can play three positions, while Ahmed and second baseman Ketel Marte will get occasional days off to maintain health. |
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| May 4 2022 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins, Jody Jackson of Bally Sports Arizona reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Diamondbacks and Marlins are wrapping up their series with a day game after a night game, so Ahmed will be extended a breather on getaway day. Geraldo Perdomo fills in at shortstop for Ahmed, who has followed up his five-hit, two-homer performance in St. Louis over the weekend by going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in the first two games in Miami. |
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| May 1 2022 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and three strikeouts in Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has hit safely in five of seven games since returning from a shoulder injury. He's homered in three of the last four contests, though each one has been a solo shot. The shortstop has added four RBI, four runs scored and a pair of doubles in 23 plate appearances. Ahmed figures to see a majority of the playing time at shortstop, at least until Josh Rojas (oblique) returns. |
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| Apr 30 2022 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a solo homer Saturday against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ketel Marte broke a scoreless tie with a solo shot to lead off the top of the eighth inning, and Ahmed repeated the feat two batters later to chase Miles Mikolas from the game. The homer was Ahmed's second of the season in just six games. He's swung a hot bat since returning from a shoulder injury, slashing .368/.368/.789. |
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| Apr 26 2022 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll sit for the second time in five games since he returned from a season-opening stint on the injured list while recovering from a shoulder injury. Geraldo Perdomo will draw the start at shortstop Tuesday, but Ahmed should see the bulk of the playing time at the position once his injury is further in the rearview mirror. |
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| Apr 25 2022 | Ahmed started at shortstop and went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As part of a plan to ease Ahmed back into the lineup after missing the start of the season with a shoulder injury, he returned to the lineup Sunday after a planned off-day Saturday. After going hitless in his debut Friday, the 32-year-old infielder collected his first hits of the season Sunday. It's unclear how long the Diamondbacks plan to ease the shortstop back into a more consistent presence in the lineup. |
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| Apr 23 2022 | Ahmed will sit Saturday against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed returned from the injured list Friday and went hitless in his season debut. He won't be asked to start on back-to-back days right away, with Geraldo Perdomo starting at shortstop Saturday. |
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| Apr 22 2022 | Ahmed (shoulder) was activated from the 10-day injured list Friday, and he's starting at shortstop and batting sixth versus the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was sidelined for the first two weeks of the season by shoulder inflammation, but he'll make his debut Friday against the Mets. The 32-year-old hit .221/.280/.339 with five home runs, 38 RBI, 46 runs and seven stolen bases in 129 contests during the 2021 campaign. |
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| Apr 20 2022 | Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Ahmed (shoulder) could return at some point during an upcoming homestand that begins Friday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Lovullo, who mentioned the possibility of a rehab assignment, did not indicate whether a potential return would be closer to the beginning or the end of the homestand. The Diamondbacks open a three-game set against the Mets on Friday, followed by another three-gamer beginning Monday against the Dodgers. Ahmed took six at-bats and played six innings defensively Monday during an exhibition game at the team's training facility at Salt River Fields. The manager also labeled the injured Jordan Luplow (oblique) as a potential returnee along with Ahmed. |
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| Apr 16 2022 | Ahmed (shoulder) took eight at-bats at Arizona's extended spring training complex Thursday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was Ahmed's first game action since being shut down late March with recurring shoulder issues. The shortstop was expected to play again Friday. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo will push for a rehab assignment before having Ahmed rejoin the major-league club. Geraldo Perdomo (1-for-16, seven strikeouts) has been filling in at shortstop while Ahmed is on the mend. |
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| Apr 11 2022 | Ahmed (shoulder) hopes to begin taking at-bats at extended spring training this week, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was enthused when discussing the state of his right shoulder after receiving two cortisone shots in late March. "It's way better than it was two weeks ago," the shortstop said. According to the report, Ahmed has been hitting and throwing since early last week, which contradicts an earlier report from Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, who indicated Ahmed was hitting and taking grounders but not throwing. Ahmed could return at some point next week while the Diamondbacks are one the road. |
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| Apr 8 2022 | Ahmed (shoulder) has swung a bat and taken groundballs but is not throwing, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has been given a pair of cortisone shots since his shoulder injury flared up toward the end of spring training. The shortstop's shoulder has bothered him for a couple of years now, but he's opted not to undergo surgery. He had a cortisone shot and a platelet-rich plasma injection during the offseason, but that did not alleviate Ahmed's symptoms. Geraldo Perdomo started at shortstop in Arizona's season-opening win over San Diego on Thursday. |
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| Apr 7 2022 | Ahmed (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has dealt with shoulder injuries in the past and expected to be able to play through the issue in 2022, but he was sidelined for the final week of camp and will begin the season on the injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder. Geraldo Perdomo is starting at shortstop Thursday and should see most of the playing time at the position while Ahmed is unavailable. |
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| Mar 30 2022 | Ahmed (shoulder) said Wednesday that he recently received a pair of cortisone shots, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has been dealing with shoulder discomfort this week, and he'll be unable to throw or hit for 10 days following his cortisone shots. As a result, the 32-year-old won't be available for Opening Day, but it's not yet clear whether he'll wind up on the injured list to begin the season. Geraldo Perdomo and Sergio Alcantara should fill in at shortstop while Ahmed is sidelined. |
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| Mar 29 2022 | Ahmed (shoulder) has not been ruled out for Opening Day, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: An MRI of the shoulder did not yield a clear diagnosis, so Ahmed is choosing to rehab the shoulder for now. The injury bothers him more hitting than it does throwing, and if it lessens, he could play Opening Day. The shoulder has been bothersome since 2020, and if that doesn't cause fantasy managers to pause, the news that it impacts his swing should. |
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| Mar 28 2022 | Ahmed's MRI on his right shoulder was inconclusive Monday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The shortstop battled shoulder soreness late last season, and the issue appears to have popped up again this spring. He indicated that the tests didn't reveal any significant tear or soft tissue issue, so he'll attempt to rehab the issue for now without surgery. His return timeline is unclear given that the nature of the injury itself remains murky. Geraldo Perdomo could fill in at shortstop until Ahmed returns. |
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| Mar 27 2022 | Ahmed is dealing with shoulder discomfort and will undergo an MRI to understand the extent of the injury, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's the same injury that caused Ahmed to miss the final two weeks of the 2021 season, which creates clear concern for his availability to begin the new campaign. He had a cortisone shot and PRP injection at some point after the initial issue arose, so he may have to undergo a procedure to ultimately return to full health. Ahmed was penciled in as the team's starting shortstop and his absence would likely open up more opportunity for Geraldo Perdomo. |
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| Mar 26 2022 | Ahmed believes he has a routine designed to deal with the shoulder injuries that plagued him the last two seasons, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has been playing in Cactus League games and is ready to resume his role as Arizona's starting shortstop in 2022, but there remains lingering concerns about the health of the shoulder over the long haul. He did not undergo surgery and was somewhat evasive when asked about the possibility. The shortstop saw is production drop significantly in 2021, when he slashed .221/.280/.339 over 129 games. The Diamondbacks believe they are better positioned to handle his absence should Ahmed's shoulder act up again in 2022. Geraldo Perdomo showed development at the plate over the second half of the minor-league season, posting a line of .329/.414/.521 in August and September. |
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| Mar 19 2022 | Ahmed is starting at shortstop and batting fifth Saturday against the Angels, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He finished last season on the shelf with a shoulder injury, so it's good to see him back in to full health. Ahmed will face competition from Geraldo Perdomo for playing time at shortstop early this season. |
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| Sep 26 2021 | Ahmed was placed on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed hasn't played in over a week with what was previously reported as right shoulder soreness, but it's apparently a left shoulder issue which will send him to the injured list. The move doesn't technically end Ahmed's season, as it's been backdated by three days, leaving him eligible to play in the season finale. Geraldo Perdomo was recalled to take his place on the roster and will start at shortstop Sunday against the Dodgers. |
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| Sep 24 2021 | Ahmed (shoulder) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This marks seven consecutive omissions from the lineup as Ahmed battles right shoulder soreness. The team must expect him back in action shortly, seeing as though they haven't placed him on the injured list. Josh Rojas is leading off as the shortstop Friday. |
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| Sep 23 2021 | Ahmed (shoulder) remains on the bench for Thursday's game against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed finds himself on the bench for the sixth straight game as he continues to deal with a sore right shoulder. Josh Rojas will again shift to shortstop as his absence continues. |
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| Sep 22 2021 | Ahmed (shoulder) is not in the lineup Wednesday against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has sat out the past four games while dealing with soreness in his left shoulder, and his absence will continue Wednesday. Josh Rojas will shift to shortstop while Ketel Marte comes in from the outfield to cover the keystone. |
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| Sep 21 2021 | Ahmed is once again out of the lineup Tuesday versus the Braves. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 31-year-old is absent from the lineup for the fourth consecutive game, while still having no mention of injury. Ildemaro Vargas makes the start at shortstop and will bat eighth. |
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| Sep 20 2021 | Ahmed isn't in the starting lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed hasn't seen the field since Sept. 17, but there's been no word of an injury. Josh Rojas draws the start at shortstop, allowing Ildemaro Vargas to get an opportunity at the hot corner. |
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| Sep 19 2021 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed sits for consecutive games after hitting .216 with four extra-base hits and three RBI in his last 10 games. Josh Rojas moves to shortstop for Sunday's series finale while Ketel Marte plays second base. |
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| Sep 18 2021 | Ahmed is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will sit for the third time in the last 10 games, during which time he has hit .179/.233/.321. Josh Rojas will start at shortstop in Ahmed's place, and Jake McCarthy will take Rojas' spot in center field. |
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| Sep 14 2021 | Ahmed is not in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll take seat after logging singles in each of the past three games. Josh Rojas will shift to shortstop as Ketel Marte moves to second base. |
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| Sep 8 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 8-5 loss to Texas. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The shortstop went yard in the ninth inning, but Arizona's two-run rally wasn't enough to get close to tying the game. Five of Ahmed's last 10 hits have gone for extra bases (three doubles, one triple, one homer), spanning his last 10 games. He's hitting .223/.283/.345 with five long balls, 38 RBI, 45 runs scored and seven stolen bases across 450 plate appearances this year, but he continues to see a significant share of playing time. |
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| Sep 5 2021 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Sunday versus Seattle. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a double during Saturday's contest and will receive a day off after starting the past nine games. Josh Rojas will take over at shortstop while Andrew Young starts at the keystone. |
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| Aug 26 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in an 8-7 win over Philadelphia on Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After sitting out Wednesday's contest, Ahmed returned to the lineup Thursday batting in the leadoff spot hitting a fourth-inning home run off Phillies starter Matt Moore. Ahmed has now collected two hits across his last six games. |
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| Aug 25 2021 | Ahmed isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed went 1-for-7 with a walk and a strikeout across the last two games and will be out of the lineup for the second time in the last four contests. Josh Rojas will start at shortstop while Josh VanMeter enters the lineup at second base. |
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| Aug 22 2021 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He gets the day off following a brutal 0-for-4, four-strikeout performance Saturday, which lowered his average to .194 in the last 10 games. Josh Rojas is playing shortstop and batting leadoff Sunday. |
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| Aug 20 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 6-2 win over Philadelphia. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was part of a five-run uprising in the seventh inning to break open a close game. Moments like these have been few for the 31-year-old shortstop, who at his peak was batting .238 in early June. He currently sits at .226 with a .624 OPS. Ahmed could lose some starts over the final weeks to Josh Rojas, but the club doesn't have a heir apparent ready to take over at short. Manager Torey Lovullo will want to give Rojas ample at-bats the rest of the way, but he can play multiple positions and will not need to play shortstop in order to get those plate appearnances. |
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| Aug 17 2021 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed started the last three games and will receive a day off after going 3-for-11 with a double, a walk and a run. Josh Rojas will move to shortstop while Josh VanMeter starts at the keystone. |
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| Aug 12 2021 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Thursday against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has remained a consistent presence in the lineup, even as the team has begun to skew playing time towards younger players. He's also hit well since the calendar flipped to August, maintaining a .263 average while driving in six and scoring five runs across 10 games. However, Josh Rojas will start at shortstop and Josh VanMeter enters the lineup while playing second base Thursday. |
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| Aug 6 2021 | Ahmed went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI in Friday's win over the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The shortstop helped Arizona get on the board with a third-inning run-scoring double and knocked in another run with a single in the following frame. Ahmed has clubbed a double in each of his past four games and has gone 6-for-17 over that stretch to push his season average up to .225. |
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| Jul 31 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 8-3 loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed knotted the score 3-3 with his 405-foot shot to left in the fifth but Los Angeles would proceed to score five unanswered runs to easily take the contest. The extra-base his were the slick-fielding shortstop's first since July 21 and it was his first long ball since July 3. |
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| Jul 24 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 in Friday's 8-3 loss to the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed, who is batting just .225 with a .615 OPS, manned his usual spot at shortstop and could be doing that for a while. Arizona's primary backup at short is Josh Rojas, who is expected to hit the injured list with a fractured left pinky finger. That leaves the Diamondbacks without a true backup. Per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, manager Torey Lovullo named Andrew Young and Eduardo Escobar as Ahmed's backups, but neither has much recent experience there. Scouts don't regard Young has an average defender at second base, let alone shortstop, and Escobar has played just two innings there since joining the Diamondbacks three years ago. At any rate, it may not matter if Ahmed continues to hit. Since returning from the All-Star break, he's batting .409 with a .980 OPS over seven games. |
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| Jul 21 2021 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 6-4 win over Pittsburgh. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed provided a game-tying RBI double and stole third. Wednesday's performance was the shortstop's third game with three or more hits this year. He's now 6-for-8 in stolen base attempts while adding two home runs, 20 RBI, 28 runs scored, 18 doubles and a .224/.290/.327 slash line across 298 plate appearances. |
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| Jul 19 2021 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Josh VanMeter will pick up a start in the infield of place of Ahmed, who started in all three games of the Diamondbacks' weekend series versus the Cubs while going a collective 3-for-10 at the plate. The 27-68 Diamondbacks are expected to sell off multiple veterans ahead of the July 30 deadline, but since Ahmed's four-year, $32.5 million deal won't expire until after the 2023 season, he's more likely than Eduardo Escobar, David Peralta or Kole Calhoun to stay put in Arizona. |
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| Jul 18 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed snapped an 0-for-21 skid with a run-producing single in the fifth. The 31-year-old shortstop started the season slowly and hasn't recovered. He has a .579 OPS with two home runs and 16 RBI over 81 games. |
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| Jul 11 2021 | Ahmed is not starting Sunday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will take a seat after recording just one hit in his last 20 at-bats. Josh Rojas will slide over to shortstop as Josh VanMeter mans the keystone Sunday. |
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| Jul 9 2021 | Ahmed went 0-for-5 with a run, walk, two stolen bases and a strikeout as the Diamondbacks defeated the Dodgers 5-2 on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed reached on error, stole third and scored in the fifth and walked and stole second in the eighth. The Gold Glove shortstop isn't a huge threat on the bases but now has five steals in 77 games as he looks to surpass a career high eight thefts from 2019. |
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| Jul 6 2021 | Ahmed is not starting Tuesday against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will get at least the beginning portion of Tuesday's game off as Josh Rojas slides to shortstop and Josh VanMeter takes over at second base. |
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| Jul 4 2021 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, an additional run, a walk and a strikeout in a 6-5 loss to San Francisco on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed singled in the first, walked and scored in the third, and smacked a two-run home run in the fourth to tie the game 4-4. It was only Ahmed's second home run in 72 games this season, as the shortstop is slashing .224/.294/.332. |
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| Jul 1 2021 | Ahmed is not in Thursday's starting lineup against the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will take a seat after starting four consecutive games. Josh Rojas will take over at shortstop and hit leadoff, while Josh VanMeter will enter the lineup at second base and hit seventh. |
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| Jun 26 2021 | Ahmed will sit Saturday against San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has accomplished very little at the plate this season, hitting .212/.271/.302 with a single homer in 64 games. The 31-year-old sits for the second time in three games Saturday and could potentially see his role diminish going forward, with the 21-56 Diamondbacks incentivized to test out some younger options, though the fact that he's under contract through 2024 may give him the opportunity to work through his struggles on the field. Josh Rojas will be the shortstop Saturday. |
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| Jun 23 2021 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Josh Rojas will fill in at shortstop for Ahmed, who appears to be receiving a routine breather for the day game after a night game. Ahmed had started in each of the Diamondbacks' previous six games, going 3-for-19 with a pair of runs. |
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| Jun 22 2021 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a run scored Monday in the Diamondbacks' 5-1 win over the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's two-hit night put an end to a 4-for-44 skid over his previous 13 games. Though he's valued mostly for his excellent defense at shortstop, Ahmed has still been a major disappointment this season from an offensive standpoint. After delivering OPSes over .700 in each of the past four seasons, Ahmed is currently sitting on a .565 mark through 222 plate appearances in 2021. |
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| Jun 16 2021 | Ahmed is not starting Wednesday's game against the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The day off comes at a good time for Ahmed, who's hitless in three consecutive games and in six of his last eight. He has also failed to draw a walk in that stretch. Josh Rojas gets the start at shortstop Wednesday. |
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| Jun 8 2021 | Ahmed is not in the starting lineup Tuesday against Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will get a breather after going hitless across the final two games of the series against Milwaukee. Josh Rojas will shift to shortstop with Ildemaro Vargas manning the keystone Tuesday. |
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| Jun 5 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Friday's 5-1 loss to Milwaukee. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's eighth-inning single broke up Freddy Peralta's no-hit bid and was Arizona's lone hit. He extended a modest hit streak to five games (9-for-19, .474) and stole his third bag of the season. |
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| Jun 4 2021 | Ahmed went 4-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI in Thursday's 7-4 loss to the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed is putting an abysmal start to the season behind him, as the shortstop has heated up since late May. He was batting just .187 as of May 23, but since then is 14-for-34 (.412) over nine games and up to .236 for the season. |
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| May 31 2021 | Ahmed isn't starting Monday's game against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run and an RBI in Sunday's win over the Cardinals. Josh Rojas will shift to shortstop while Josh Reddick starts in right field. |
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| May 25 2021 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk as Arizona fell 8-0 to San Francisco on Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed did his part on the evening, reaching base in each of his first three plate appearances with doubles in the second and sixth and a walk in the fourth though Arizona was ultimately shutout. Ahmed has a reputation as a defense-first shortstop, but he may need to perform better than his current .198/.298/.294 slash line to keep his role on a Diamondbacks team looking toward the future. |
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| May 23 2021 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Sunday against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed started the first two games of the series but will take a seat for Sunday's contest. Josh Rojas will operate at shortstop while Josh Reddick starts in right field. |
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| May 20 2021 | Ahmed isn't starting Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed had started each of the last five games and went 2-for-16 with two doubles, a run, an RBI, a walk and six strikeouts during that time. Josh Rojas will start at shortstop while Josh Reddick starts in right field. |
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| May 14 2021 | Ahmed will be on the bench for Friday's game against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed owns a .762 OPS over his last 10 games after struggling to a .397 mark over his first 20 contests. Josh Rojas will start in his absence Friday. |
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| May 11 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, two walks and two total runs scored Tuesday in an 11-3 win over Miami. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed put the Diamondbacks on the board in the second inning, launching a solo shot to left field for his first long ball of the campaign. He reached base twice more via walk in the contest and scored the team's second run in the fifth frame. After a sluggish start to the campaign, Ahmed has been trending up over his past 16 games, batting .308 over 52 at-bats. |
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| May 2 2021 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday versus Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed started the the past seven games and will take a seat Sunday after going 7-for-25 with three doubles, two RBI and four runs during that stretch. Josh Rojas will start at shortstop and bat sixth in the series finale for Arizona. |
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| Apr 29 2021 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's 12-3 loss to San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has hit in four straight games after getting a two-day break last weekend. The shortstop opened the season in a miserable 3-for-41 slump but has turned things around during this hitting streak, going 6-for-13 with three doubles. |
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| Apr 26 2021 | Ahmed started both games of Sunday's doubleheader sweep over Atlanta and hit safely in each. The shortstop went 2-for-3 with a double in the opener, then 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in the nightcap. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was given a day off Friday and got a second day when Saturday's game was postponed, giving him time to work on his mechanics. The break appeared to work for this one day, as he stroked four hard-hit balls on the day. Ahmed's Statcast profile suggests his early season slump is well deserved, but a .162 BABIP supports the notion that he's been unlucky. |
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| Apr 24 2021 | Ahmed used Friday's day off from the starting lineup to work on his swing mechanics, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed focused on his lower half, which he believes led to a chain reaction of issues throughout the rest of the swing. He also acknowledged the knee injury that dogged him throughout spring training and landed him on the injured list to start the season played more of a role than he was willing to admit. "I've developed compensations," he said, "that I couldn't necessarily feel and have to go about undoing those compensations now and get back to being the type of hitter I know I can be." The shortstop entered Friday's game as a pinch hitter for his replacement, Josh Rojas, and grounded out. That dropped Ahmed's average to .073. |
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| Apr 23 2021 | Ahmed will sit Friday against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed sits for just the second time since returning from a knee injury April 10. He's struggled significantly at the plate, hitting .075/.119/.075, though a .100 BABIP likely accounts for some of his problems. Josh Rojas will take over at shortstop in his absence. |
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| Apr 16 2021 | Ahmed will hit the bench Friday against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed started five straight games after returning from a knee injury Saturday. He went hitless in four of them and owns a .295 OPS through his first 21 plate appearances of the year, so it's no surprise to see him get a bit of a break. Josh Rojas will start at shortstop in his absence. |
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| Apr 11 2021 | Ahmed went 0-for-3 in Saturday's 8-3 win over the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was activated off the injured list and made his season debut Saturday. He had been dealing with knee discomfort for much of spring training. |
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| Apr 10 2021 | Ahmed is starting Saturday's game against the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Saturday, and he'll bat seventh during his season debut Saturday. The 31-year-old slashed .266/.327/.402 with five home runs, 29 RBI and four stolen bases in 57 games during the 2020 campaign and should serve as the everyday shortstop for Arizona going forward. |
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| Apr 6 2021 | Ahmed (knee) will hit in the cage soon, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed is dealing with knee inflammation and already received a platelet-rich plasma injection during spring training, so it sounds like a pain management issue. Prior to landing on the injured list, he said he hoped the injury would not linger all season, but that seems like a possibility. In the meantime, top prospect Geraldo Perdomo is handling the work at shortstop. |
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| Apr 3 2021 | Ahmed landed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed broke camp on the big-league roster despite battling a sore knee for most of March. He failed to appear in either of the team's first two games, however, and he'll now be out for at least another week. It's not clear when exactly he's expected to return. Geraldo Perdomo was recalled in a corresponding move, though it will be Josh Rojas who starts at shortstop for the third straight game Saturday against the Padres. |
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| Apr 2 2021 | Ahmed, who is out of Friday's lineup against the Padres, said he hopes his knee issue won't linger all season, Jody Jackson of FOX Sports Arizona reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is not yet ready to make his season debut, as it sounds like Ahmed is hoping to get as healthy as possible before taking the field in an effort to get over the knee soreness that bothered him all spring. Ahmed received a platelet-rich plasma injection in late March, which is always an ominous sign. It seems likely that he will get into a game fairly soon, but it also seems possible that this knee issue could affect his performance this season. |
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| Mar 30 2021 | Ahmed (knee) fielded groundballs and took regular batting practice Tuesday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed hasn't played in a game since March 24 and had just 21 spring at-bats, but Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo believes there's a strong possibility the shortstop plays Opening Day. If he's unavailable, Josh Rojas is the most likely fill-in. |
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| Mar 29 2021 | Ahmed (knee) executed fundamental drills Monday and was scheduled to run the bases Tuesday, Jose M. Romero of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed sat out Monday's spring game against the Cubs, but the Diamondbacks are hopeful for his availability Opening Day on Thursday in San Diego. Josh Rojas, who is expected to have a major role at second base, started at shortstop while Asdrubal Cabrera started at second. |
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| Mar 28 2021 | Ahmed received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right knee but is still expected to be ready for Opening Day on Thursday in San Diego, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 31-year-old dealt with soreness in his right knee earlier in spring training, and the issue appears to have resurfaced with camp winding down. It doesn't seem to be a serious concern, but it's not ideal for Ahmed to be dealing with an injury less than a week before Opening Day. |
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| Mar 22 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Sunday's spring game against the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The home run was Ahmed's first this spring and a good sign he's locking in after missing time due to a knee issue. In three Cactus League games since getting back on the field, Ahmed is 2-for-8 with three runs scored. He's confident he'll be ready for the regular season, telling Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, "I'm going to get plenty of at-bats and plenty of reps defensively. I'm going to be fine." |
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| Mar 19 2021 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 in Thursday's spring game against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed played for the first time in 12 days after dealing with a knee injury and a personal leave. Arizona's starting shortstop will have two weeks to get his timing down before the start of the regular season. |
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| Mar 18 2021 | Ahmed (personal) will bat second and play shortstop Thursday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed hasn't played a Cactus League game in 12 days, missing time first with knee soreness and then due to a personal issue. With Opening Day still two weeks away, however, he should have enough time to continue his spring buildup and get up to full speed or close to it by the start of the regular season. |
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| Mar 16 2021 | Ahmed was removed from the lineup Tuesday against the Athletics due to a personal issue, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was scheduled to return to the lineup after missing nine days with knee soreness. It's good news that his absence isn't due to a knee setback, though it's unclear when he'll be back in the lineup. |
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| Mar 15 2021 | Ahmed (knee) took at-bats Monday against teammate Luke Weaver at the Diamondbacks' spring facility, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed hasn't appeared in any Cactus League games since March 6 due to a sore right knee, but his activity Monday would seem to hint that he could soon rejoin the Diamondbacks' spring lineup. Since Opening Day is still two weeks away, Ahmed still has sufficient time to get up to full speed. |
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| Mar 13 2021 | Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said the earliest Ahmed (knee) could return to action is Monday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Lovullo was hopeful that Ahmed could play Friday, but the team decided to give the shortstop a few extra days to test his right knee before playing in a game. Ahmed said the condition improves daily and did not sound too concerned about it. Josh Rojas has been the primary fill-in at shortstop. |
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| Mar 12 2021 | Ahmed (knee) isn't in the lineup for Friday's spring game against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old has been sidelined by a knee injury this week and was expected to rejoin the lineup Friday, but he won't be in the starting nine. Ahmed could still make an appearance off the bench, but the Diamondbacks could just be delaying his return by a day or two. Josh Rojas will continue to work as the team's top shortstop in the meantime. |
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| Mar 11 2021 | Ahmed (knee) is likely to return to action Friday following Thursday's off-day, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed missed a third straight game Wednesday and will get the benefit of a fourth day when Arizona is off. Josh Rojas started at shortstop Wednesday, the second time in three games he's replaced Ahmed in the lineup. |
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| Mar 9 2021 | Ahmed (knee) was unavailable for Tuesday's spring game against the Rockies, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed missed his second consecutive game due to the injury. While Ahmed rehabs, Josh Rojas (on Monday) and Domingo Leyba (Tuesday) are filling in at shortstop. |
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| Mar 8 2021 | Ahmed was scratched from the lineup for Monday's game against the Giants due to right knee soreness, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The issue doesn't appear to be a particularly serious one. Josh Rojas slid to shortstop in his absence and would likely spend time at that spot should Ahmed's injury linger into the regular season, but that seems unlikely at this point. |
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| Feb 28 2021 | Ahmed said he jammed his shoulder toward the end of summer training camp last year, which impacted him at the plate and in the field, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed said the injury was never serious enough to prevent him from playing, but a nagging pain caused him to alter his throws and may have contributed to a 2-for-31 slump to start the season. The two-time Gold Glove winner's fielding percentage dropped from .979 to .963 as did his DRS (from 17 to 4). Ahmed has improved at the plate since his early years and had a career-high 19 home runs and .753 OPS in 2019. |
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| Sep 26 2020 | Ahmed isn't starting Saturday against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed has reached base in each of the last eight games, but he'll get a day off ahead of Sunday's season finale. Ketel Marte will shift to shortstop with Josh VanMeter starting at second base. |
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| Sep 19 2020 | Ahmed will hit the bench Saturday against Houston, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will sit for just the third time all year. Josh Rojas will start at shortstop in his absence. |
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| Sep 13 2020 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 7-3 loss to the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed, who has primarily batted in the lower third of the order, hit out of the two-hole for the second time in four games. As the Diamondbacks infuse the lineup with prospects and less-proven talent, Ahmed will be given a slot higher in the batting order among the team's best hitters. The shortstop has seven hits in his last 15 at-bats. |
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| Sep 8 2020 | Ahmed will sit Tuesday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's strong defense has kept him in the lineup for all but two games this season despite the fact that he's hitting just .238/.310/.371. Josh Rojas starts at shortstop in his absence. |
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| Sep 5 2020 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Friday's win over the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's three-hit performance -- the fourth time he's reached that feat this season -- was a positive sign considering he was in a 1-for-16 slump over his previous five games. Ahmed is hitting just .194 with a .636 OPS across his last 10 contests. |
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| Sep 1 2020 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed took reliever Scott Alexander deep in the ninth inning to cut the deficit to three runs, but that was as close as it got. The 30-year-old Ahmed is slashing .242/.299/.387 with four homers, 19 RBI, 17 runs scored and two stolen bases through 36 contests. The homer Tuesday was just his fourth hit in his last 22 at-bats. |
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| Aug 20 2020 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 in Wednesday's loss against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Diamondbacks went 6-for-30 as a team against Oakland's pitching, and Ahmed was one of two players who recorded multiple hits -- Ketel Marte was the other one. Ahmed endured a tough start to the season but has bounced back of late, hitting safely in all but one of Arizona's last 10 games, posting three consecutive multi-hit games and slashing .500/.550/.778 with two homers and 14 RBI during that 10-game stretch. |
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| Aug 18 2020 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a home run, double, five RBI and one run scored Tuesday against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's big day at the dish began in the first inning when he clubbed a three-run home run to left field. The next frame, he delivered a two-RBI single to give the Diamondbacks an 8-1 lead. The performance brought his home run total to three on the season and also continued his good form at the plate, as he has at least one hit in 12 of his last 14 starts. To this point in the campaign, Ahmed has a .275/.341/.438 line with 15 runs scored and 16 RBI across 88 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 16 2020 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and one run scored in Saturday's 7-6 win over the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed, who extended his hitting streak to six games, has busted out of an early season slump in a big way. The shortstop is 11-for-22 with a home run, two doubles, nine RBI and 10 runs scored during the streak. |
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| Aug 12 2020 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs, two RBI and a walk during Wednesday's 13-7 win at Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old entered the series against the Rockies with only seven hits, four runs and four RBI all season, but he took advantage of Coors Field and went 7-for-12 with seven runs, four RBI, two stolen bases and a walk in three games. Ahmed still only has a .633 OPS on the season, but it appears he's busted out of the season-opening slump. |
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| Aug 10 2020 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, one RBI, a walk and two stolen bases in Monday's 12-8 victory over Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed entered Monday's game batting just .137 before producing his first multi-hit effort of the season. His two stolen bases were also his first of the season. The 30-year-old is sporting a pedestrian .553 OPS with just two extra-base hits across 61 plate appearances. |
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| Aug 9 2020 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Sunday's 9-5 loss to the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed slugged his second long ball of the season in the ninth inning, but the game was well out of hand by then. His hard contact rate is down and groundball rate is up, but the shortstop continues to dig out of an early-season slump. Ahmed's 5-for-20 over the last six games after batting .065 over the first 10 contests. |
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| Aug 8 2020 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 in Friday's 3-0 loss to San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed is slowly digging himself out of a slow start. He's hit safely in four straight contests after starting the season 2-for-31 (.065). |
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| Aug 5 2020 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 14-7 win over the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed went deep in the fifth inning off Astros reliever Nivaldo Rodriguez. It's the first homer of the year for Ahmed, who is hitting just .105 with two RBI and two runs scored through 12 contests. He regularly bats ninth in the lineup and hasn't done enough to warrant fantasy attention in 2020. |
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| Aug 2 2020 | Ahmed returned to the lineup Saturday and went 0-for-3 in an 11-2 loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was given a night off to reboot Friday after going 2-for-24 over the first seven games. He's had an impact bat as a shortstop the last two seasons, but that bat's been nowhere to be found amid the team's early offensive slump. Ahmed is slashing .071/.161/.071 with one run and zero RBI. |
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| Jul 31 2020 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Friday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed started each of Arizona's first seven games at shortstop but struggled significantly at the plate, grabbing just two hits. Ketel Marte slides to shortstop in his absence, with Ildemaro Vargas starting at second base. |
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| Jul 26 2020 | Ahmed went 0-for-3 with a walk in Sunday's 4-3 win over San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's ninth-inning walk was the first time he reached base safely this season. Arizona's nine-hole hitter is 0-for-9 through the first three games, a slow start for the shortstop who belted 35 home runs and drove in 152 runs over the last two seasons. |
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| Mar 7 2020 | Ahmed went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run in Friday's spring game against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed, who hit a career-high 19 home runs in 2019, cranked out his first spring home run. The Diamondbacks made the soon-to-be 30-year-old shortstop a wealthier man during the offseason, inking Ahmed to a four-year extension. It's a payday earned by his improvements at the plate. All the advanced metrics (wRC+, contact rates, plate discipline, hard-hit percentage, barrels, etc.) indicate the improved bat is for real. |
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| Feb 10 2020 | Ahmed agreed to a four-year extension with Arizona on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed will make at least $32.5 million over the course of the deal, with the potential for more in incentives, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. The shortstop had been scheduled to reach free agency after the 2020 season, so the deal buys out three extra years and keeps him under club control through his age-33 season. He's never had an above-average batting line, but his .254/.316/.437 line last season was good for a 92 wRC+, an acceptable figure for a player with a strong defensive reputation at shortstop. |
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| Sep 29 2019 | Ahmed will enter the offseason with a particular focus on being more consistent at the plate, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was already an elite defender upon entering MLB, and his bat is catching up. He's set career bests (entering Sunday) in most major hitting categories, including average (.255), OBP (.318), slugging (.440), home runs (19), triples (6) and RBI (82). The Massachusetts native plans to focus on the areas of better pitch recognition, making more hard contact, and chasing fewer pitches outside the zone. The 29-year-old is entering the final year of arbitration and will become a free agent in 2021. His combination of elite defense and emerging bat should set himself up for a nice payday. |
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| Sep 24 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 9-7 loss to the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed led off the ninth inning with his 19th homer, trying to ignite a rally to stave off elimination from postseason contention. Alas, the Diamondbacks could not complete the comeback, and their postseason hopes were dashed. Since his return from a finger injury four games ago, Ahmed is 5-for-15 with three extra-base hits. |
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| Sep 20 2019 | Ahmed (finger) is in the lineup for Friday's game against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed missed the last couple games after his fingernail was damaged while fielding a groundball in Monday's game, but he is ready to return to action on the heels of a team off day. Ahmed will start at shortstop and hit seventh Friday night. |
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| Sep 18 2019 | Ahmed (finger) remains on the bench Wednesday against the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with a finger issue and will wind up missing at least one more start. Domingo Leyba gets the start at shortstop. |
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| Sep 17 2019 | Ahmed was scratched from Tuesday's game against the Marlins due to a finger injury, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed was slated to start at shortstop Tuesday, but Arizona has determined that he's unable to go after suffering a finger injury during Monday night's contest. Ildemaro Vargas will replace Ahmed at shortstop. |
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| Sep 16 2019 | Ahmed left Monday's game against the Marlins with a finger injury, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed suffered the injury while trying to field a grounder with his bare hand, and after being examined by the team trainer, he was forced to depart. He'll be considered day-to-day until another update is released. |
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| Sep 14 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a triple and the lone run in Saturday's 1-0 win over the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed's third-inning triple, his fifth of the year, was the only hit the Diamondbacks could muster against Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani and two relievers. Ahmed ultimately scored the only run for either team on a Jarrod Dyson sacrifice fly. The shortstop is hitting .260/.322/.443 with 18 homers, 80 RBI and 74 runs scored this season, all career highs for the 29-year-old. |
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| Sep 7 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a walk and solo home run in Friday's 7-5 win over the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ahmed snapped a 13-game drought without a homer in the third inning when he went yard to put Arizona on the board. He was one of the hottest hitters on the planet at the beginning of August and is once against heating up. He's gone 10-for-29 with four doubles, one homer and seven RBI over the last eight games. |
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| Sep 2 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk Sunday in the Diamondbacks' 4-3 loss | to the Dodgers. |
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| Aug 21 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-2 with a walk, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's | 8-7 win over Colorado. |
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| Aug 19 2019 | Ahmed was named the National League Player of the Week, Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com | reports. |
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| Aug 17 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 11-6 loss to the Giants. | |
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| Aug 14 2019 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple and three RBI in Tuesday's 9-3 win | over the Rockies. |
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| Aug 12 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double and four RBI to help the Diamondbacks | to an 8-6 win over the Rockies on Monday. |
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| Aug 10 2019 | Ahmed isn't in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Dodgers. | |
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| Aug 4 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and two additional runs Saturday | in the Diamondbacks' 18-7 win over the Nationals. |
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| Jul 27 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBI in Saturday's 9-2 win | at Miami. |
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| Jul 27 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBI in Saturday's 9-2 win at Miami. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 22 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 7 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a victory over Colorado on Sunday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 6 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 3 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's loss to the Dodgers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 27 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk and another run scored in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 22 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in an 11-5 loss to the Giants on Friday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 22 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 11-5 loss to the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 21 2019 | Ahmed (hand) is starting at shortstop and batting seventh<\/a> Friday against the Giants. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 20 2019 | Ahmed's X-rays on his left hand came back negative, and it's possible he could return to the starting lineup Friday against the Giants, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 20 2019 | X-rays on Ahmed's left hand came back negative, and he could return to the starting lineup Friday against the Giants, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 20 2019 | Ahmed was removed from Thursday's game against the Rockies due to an apparent hand injury, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 20 2019 | Ahmed was removed<\/a> from Thursday's game against the Rockies due to a left hand contusion. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 15 2019 | Ahmed went 4-for-5 with a double and a triple in a 10-3 win over Washington on Saturday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 15 2019 | Ahmed went 4-for-5 with a double and a triple as the Diamondbacks defeated the Nationals 10-3 Saturday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 15 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's loss to the Nationals. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 12 2019 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a run scored in Tuesday's 7-4 loss to the Phillies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 11 2019 | Ahmed (foot) is starting at shortstop and batting seventh Tuesday against the Phillies, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 10 2019 | Ahmed is believed to have a bone contusion in his left foot, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 10 2019 | Ahmed (foot) is out of the lineup<\/a> for Monday's game against the Phillies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 9 2019 | Ahmed was removed from Sunday's 8-2 win over the Blue Jays in the third inning with a sore left foot<\/a>. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 3 2019 | Ahmed isn't in Monday's starting lineup<\/a> against the Dodgers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 28 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Monday's 4-3 extra-innings loss to the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 21 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Monday's 2-1 loss to the Padres. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 13 2019 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Braves. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 23 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Monday against the Cubs. | Ahmed had a three-RBI day Sunday in Colorado but won't get the chance to build on that performance right away. Ketel Marte will slide over to shortstop, with Daniel Desclaso starting at second base. |
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| Jul 22 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a triple, walk and three RBI in the Diamondbacks' 6-1 win over the Rockies on Sunday. | Ahmed's two-run triple in the fourth inning was his 37th extra-base hit of the season, placing him sixth in the majors among all qualifying shortstops. The 28-year-old's uptick in power production has increased his relevance in deeper mixed leagues, but a .231 batting average remains the main reason why he's not a must-start option in shallower settings. |
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| Jul 15 2018 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Braves. | The Diamondbacks have been juggling three players (Ahmed, Ketel Marte and Daniel Descalso) between the two middle-infield spots of late, and it will be Ahmed's turn to head to the bench Sunday following three consecutive starts. Ahmed has been the top producer of the triumvirate in July, going 13-for-46 (.283 average) with seven extra-base hits, eight runs and five RBI across 11 appearances. |
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| Jul 14 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Friday's 2-1 win over the Braves. | Ahmed's seventh-inning RBI single broke a 1-1 tie and held up as the deciding run in the series opener. The shortstop also added to his career-best doubles total (20) earlier in the contest, giving him his fourth two-hit performance in seven games. |
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| Jul 11 2018 | Ahmed is not in Wednesday's lineup against Colorado, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. | Ahmed will retreat to a spot on the bench following five straight starts, including a 2-for-5 performance with a solo home run and a double during Tuesday's series opener. In his absence, Ketel Marte will start at shortstop while Daniel Descalso gets the nod at second base. |
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| Jul 10 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and a double in Tuesday's win over the Rockies. | Ahmed got the scoring started in the first inning with his 12th round tripper before adding another extra-base hit later in the tilt. Even coming off of an 0-for-7 showing Sunday, the 28-year-old is now hitting .324 (11-for-34) in July with three doubles, a triple and two home runs to bring his slash line up to .229/.287/.431 on the year. |
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| Jul 8 2018 | Ahmed will start at shortstop and bat second Sunday against the Padres. | Ahmed will move to the top third of the lineup in the series finale with lefty Clayton Richard on the mound for San Diego, but the shortstop frequently plummets to the No. 7 or 8 spot in the order versus right-handers. The low slotting didn't prevent Ahmed from making a major fantasy impact in Saturday's 20-5 win over the Padres, with the 28-year-old belting his 11th home run of the season, walking twice and driving in three runs in the rout. |
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| Jul 6 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-5 at the plate in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Padres. | Ahmed has recorded at least one hit in all but one of his last seven starts, lifting his season average from .212 to .226 over that stretch. The shortstop's hard-hit rate (39 percent) is up seven points from his 2017 mark and his line-drive rate sits at a career-best 25.6 percent, offering hope that he'll eventually see some improvement with his .256 BABIP, which has contributed to the low average. |
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| Jul 4 2018 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Cardinals. | Arizona skipper Torey Lovullo tabbed Daniel Descalso and Ketel Marte for starts in the middle infield in the series finale, leaving no room in the lineup for Ahmed. The shortstop had started seven of the past eight games for the Diamondbacks, going 8-for-28 (.286 average) with three extra-base hits and a pair of walks. |
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| Jul 2 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-5 with a triple and run scored in Sunday's 9-6 loss to the Giants. | The shortstop has recorded hits in five consecutive games, marking his second-longest stretch of the season. The Diamondbacks have been rotating Ahmed, Daniel Descalso and Ketel Marte at the middle-infield spots of late, but Ahmed's playing time looks to be the most stable of the trio. Descalso is typically excluded from the lineup against lefty pitching and has recorded just four hits in 36 at-bats over his last 13 games, while Marte is considered day-to-day after suffering a hamstring cramp during Saturday's contest. |
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| Jun 30 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Saturday against the Giants. | Ahmed is hitting just .162 in his last 10 games. Ketel Marte will slide over to shortstop Saturday, with Daniel Descalso starting at second base. |
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| Jun 28 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI in Thursday's win over the Marlins. | Ahmed snapped his hitless streak Wednesday and continued to turn things around with a multi-hit effort in the Diamondbacks' series finale. He hadn't knocked in a run since June 18, which was the same time he had a multi-hit game. Ahmed is generally ticketed for a bottom-third spot in the Diamondback order but has still managed to post decent counting stats (33 RBI, 55 R) through the first three months. |
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| Jun 25 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins. | Ahmed totaled just two hits over his last five games, so manager Torey Lovullo decided to go in a different direction Monday. Ketel Marte will slide over and cover shortstop in Ahmed's place. |
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| Jun 19 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, walk and two runs Monday in the Diamondbacks' 7-4 win over the Angels. | Ahmed's deep drive to center field in the eighth inning bounced off the glove of Mike Trout and over the fence for the shortstop's 10th home run of the season, marking the first time in his career he has reached double digits in the category. After recording just 13 hits in May, Ahmed has already surpassed that total in June (16), with seven of those hits going for extra bases. Though Ahmed's .204 ISO is nearly 40 points above his previous career best, the fact that he focused on retooling his swing path this spring in order to tap into more power offers hope that his slugging production won't regress much from here. |
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| Jun 17 2018 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Mets. | Ahmed will get a break after starting four games in a row at shorstop, conceding the position to Ketel Marte for the series finale (which allows Daniel Descalso to get the start at second base). Though Ahmed collected two base hits Saturday to bring his season batting average up to .223, he's 0-for-3 against opposing starter Zach Wheeler, so the timing was right for a day on the bench. |
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| Jun 17 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run Saturday in the Diamondbacks' 5-1 loss to the Mets. | It was the third multi-hit performance of the month for Ahmed, who sports a .298/.377/.489 slash line in June. Ahmed slotted in as the No. 2 hitter Saturday with lefty Steven Matz on the mound, but the shortstop typically finds himself in the lower third of the lineup against right-handers, thereby limiting his opportunities to score and produce runs. |
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| Jun 12 2018 | Ahmed is not starting Tuesday against Pittsburgh. | Ketel Marte will slide over to shortstop, with Daniel Descalso starting at second base. Ahmed is hitting just .223 on the saeson, though his nine homers (already tied for his career high) are a fair total for a shortstop. |
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| Jun 11 2018 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, a run and an RBI in the Diamondbacks' 8-3 win over the Rockies on Sunday. | After sitting out Friday's victory, Ahmed came up big in the final two games of the series in Colorado, going 4-for-8 with a home run, four RBI and three runs. The RBI and run totals exceeded Ahmed's production from the previous eight games combined, so it will be difficult to rely on him outside of very deep mixed leagues and NL-only formats as he returns to a more neutral offensive environment in Arizona for the Diamondbacks' seven-game slate this week. |
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| Jun 9 2018 | Ahmed went 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored Saturday against the Rockies. | Ahmed produced throughout the game, starting with his ninth home run of the season in the second inning against Chad Bettis and capping his night off with a two-RBI double in the eighth inning. Despite just a .221 batting average, Ahmed continues to flash surprising power as he has already tied his career-best home run total in a single season through just 199 at-bats. |
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| Jun 8 2018 | Ahmed is out of Friday's lineup in Coors Field. | He has started the last five games, going 6-for-21 (.286 AVG) with one stolen base over that stretch. Ketel Marte gets the start at shortstop, hitting sixth, while Daniel Descalso starts at the keystone, hitting fourth. |
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| Jun 4 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and a stolen base in the Diamondbacks' 6-1 win over the Marlins on Sunday. | Ahmed has delivered three two-hit performances over his last eight games, but he has mostly been invisible in the other five contests, going 1-for-17. The shortstop's conscious effort to adjust his swing and sell out for power has already aided him to a career-high eight home runs, but the change has been detrimental to his batting average. He's hitting just .210 for the season, with a spike in his flyball rate contributing to a .231 BABIP that's 25 points below his career mark. |
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| Jun 1 2018 | Ahmed is out of Friday's lineup against the Marlins. | He is hitting just .138 with two home runs over his last 29 at-bats. Ketel Marte will start at shortstop and hit sixth. |
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| May 29 2018 | Ahmed homered, scored twice and drove in four runs in a 2-for-4 game Monday against the Reds. | Ahmed now has two multi-hit games with a home run in his past four games, but those have been the lone bright spots in an otherwise abysmal May. Even with the two explosive games in the past week, Ahmed owns just a .159/.186/.305 in 25 contests this month. Ahmed has never reached 10 home runs in a season, and his .717 OPS in 2017 marked his first time eclipsing the .700 mark, so don't expect him to become a full-time slugger anytime soon. |
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| May 26 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored in Friday's win over the A's. | Ahmed's home run -- his seventh of the year -- came off starter Sean Manaea in the first inning. He later recorded an RBI single in the fourth, bringing his RBI total to 21 on the year. This was just the second multi-hit game in the month of May for Ahmed, and his season slash line now sits at .212/.271/.410. The shortstop does have 16 extra-base hits on the year, but he's generally struggling to get on base with much frequency. |
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| May 22 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Brewers. | Ahmed has just five hits in his last 11 games, slashing .147/.143/.235 over that span. Ketel Marte will slide over to shortstop Tuesday with Daniel Descalso playing second base. |
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| May 18 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Mets. | Ahmed will be the odd man out of the infield rotation Friday with the return of third baseman Jake Lamb from the disabled list. Ketel Marte will start at shortstop with Daniel Descalso taking over at second base. Ahmed is in the midst of a slump and is slashing .135/.164/.231 with 16 strikeouts in 52 at-bats during May. |
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| May 13 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Sunday against the Nationals. | Ahmed will receive a day of rest after making 16 straight starts for the Diamondbacks, a stretch over which he slashed .246/.281/.443 with three homers and seven RBI. Ketel Marte will take over at shortstop with Chris Owings manning the keystone. |
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| May 9 2018 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run in the Diamondbacks' 8-5 win over the Dodgers on Tuesday in 12 innings. | Ahmed's base hit in the fourth inning ended an 0-for-19 skid at the plate dating back to May 1. The shortstop's season batting average has dropped from .261 to .227 during that span, and while he's unlikely to become much of an asset in that area even with some better luck on balls in play, Ahmed at least remains playable in NL-only and very deep mixed leagues thanks to his power spike. He's on pace for his first double-digit homer campaign, with a career-high 41.5 percent flyball rate supporting the notion that Ahmed has adjusted his approach to sell out for more power. |
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| May 7 2018 | Ahmed grounded out and struck out swinging twice across three at-bats Sunday in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 win over the Astros. | Ahmed has now gone 0-for-18 over his past five games, an untimely development for fantasy owners that may have picked up the shortstop following a 12-for-31 stretch that included six extra-base hits in an eight-game span. The crests and troughs in Ahmed's production this season have made him a frustrating player to roster, but his fantasy ceiling is still unquestionably higher than in past seasons due to his increased willingness to sell out for power. He has already smashed five home runs and seven doubles in 2018, leaving him one shy of matching the totals he posted in both categories a season ago. |
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| May 1 2018 | Ahmed went 3-for-5 with a home run, double, two RBI and two runs in the Diamondbacks' 8-5 win over the Dodgers on Monday. | Ahmed finished a triple shy of the cycle in his third consecutive multi-hit effort, with the shortstop tallying four extra-base knocks over that span. Considering his poor offensive reputation entering the season, Ahmed has been one of the most surprising performers for the 20-8 Diamondbacks, with his unexpected surge in the power department helping to anchor the back half of the lineup. His slugging percentage now sits at a robust .524, more than 100 points better than his 2017 mark. |
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| Apr 30 2018 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a double in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 loss to the Nationals on Sunday. | With the lefty-hitting Jarrod Dyson receiving the day off against Nationals southpaw Gio Gonzalez, Ahmed moved into the two hole and was Arizona's most productive batter Sunday, finishing with his third three-hit performance of the season. Ahmed is expected to plummet to the bottom half of the order Monday with the Dodgers bringing righty Ross Stripling to the hill, but the shortstop should still make for a decent option in NL-only formats during the upcoming week while he continues to hold down a full-time role. Ahmed is hitting just .241 on the season but owns a respectable .794 OPS, 77 points greater than the career-best mark he posted in 2017. |
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| Apr 29 2018 | Ahmed will start at shortstop and bat second Sunday against the Nationals. | With southpaw Gio Gonzalez twirling for the Nationals, the Diamondbacks will hold out three key left-handed bats, including outfielder Jarrod Dyson. That opens the door for Ahmed, who typically bats out of the sixth or seventh spot, to receive his most favorable lineup assignment of the season. He'll be nestled right between David Peralta, who homered twice Saturday, and Paul Goldschmidt, who owns a .927 OPS on the campaign. |
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| Apr 26 2018 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run Thursday against the Phillies. | Ahmed's third inning home run blew the game open, giving the Diamondbacks a 6-0 lead. While he's batting just .194 in 67 at-bats this season, his four home runs have provided quality counting stats that include 14 RBI and nine runs scored. His career best slugging percentage in a season is .419, so there isn't much precedent for this power surge to continue, but his early season production may be worth riding in deeper leagues. |
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| Apr 25 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup against the Phillies on Wednesday. | Ahmed will receive a rare day off after going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk during Tuesday's outing. In his place, Ketel Marte will start at shortstop while Chris Owings mans the keystone. Ahmed has been struggling a bit to start off the 2018 campaign, hitting just .188/.288/.391 with three home runs and 11 RBI over 19 games. |
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| Apr 22 2018 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored during Sunday's win over the Padres. | Ahmed recorded his third home run and drove in his tenth and eleventh run of the season with a two-run blast in the fourth inning. Prior to Sunday's home run, he'd been struggling through a 0-for-17 stretch at the dish. Ahmed will look to turn his performance at the plate around during the Diamondbacks' upcoming series with the Phillies. |
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| Apr 19 2018 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored Wednesday in the Diamondbacks' 4-3 loss to the Giants in 10 innings. | The double is already Ahmed's sixth extra-base hit in 14 games this season, boosting his slugging percentage to a career-best .438. However, much of that power production came in the Diamondbacks' first four games of the season, with the shortstop having largely struggled at the dish ever since returning from a brief absence earlier this month due to an illness. Over his past 10 starts, Ahmed has managed only three hits in 31 at-bats (.097 average), which has dimmed the luster of his hot start to the campaign. |
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| Apr 14 2018 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in the Diamondbacks' 8-7 win over the Dodgers on Friday. | Ahmed had been in the midst of an 0-for-13 slump before leaving the yard in the top of the eighth inning, giving the Diamondbacks a vital insurance run. Even with the brief drought at the plate, Ahmed has still been one of the Diamondbacks' most productive regulars this season, supplying a .286/.375/.543 line across 40 plate appearances. Since the on-base and slugging percentages are well above Ahmed's career marks, regression is almost certainly coming, but there's reason to be optimistic about some level of sustainability. As Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic noted earlier this season, Ahmed made a concerted effort this spring to change his swing path and plate approach, which is already paying dividends in elevating the shortstop's fly-ball and line-drive rates. |
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| Apr 9 2018 | Ahmed (illness) went 1-for-3 with a walk in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Cardinals. | After he was confined to the bench for the previous four games while recovering from flu-like symptoms, Ahmed didn't miss a beat in his return to the lineup, reaching base in two of his four plate appearances to boost his OBP to .480 for the season. Ahmed has credited a change in his swing path for his surprising start to the campaign, so it may be unwise to bank on his simply regressing to his career .230/.278/.353 line once his .533 BABIP normalizes. Even once his bat inevitably cools down, Ahmed could still retain utility in deeper settings if at least some of his gains in the power department are maintained. |
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| Apr 8 2018 | Ahmed (illness) is starting at shortstop and batting seventh in Sunday's game against the Cardinals. | Ahmed missed three games while battling an illness last week but was able to make an appearance during Saturday's contest and will now rejoin the starting nine. The shortstop was hitting an impressive .471 (8-for-17) before falling ill. He'll look to pick up where he left off. |
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| Apr 7 2018 | Ahmed was removed from Saturday's lineup card due to illness. | Ahmed was initially plugged into the starting nine for the first time since Monday's contest, but now the shortstop will miss a fourth straight game due to illness. Chris Owings was inserted into the lineup and will man the keystone while Ketel Marte moves over to the shortstop position. |
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| Apr 7 2018 | Ahmed (illness) is back in the lineup against the Cardinals on Saturday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports. | Ahmed missed the past three games due to an illness but appears to be fully operational heading into this weekend. The 28=year-old will slide right back into the shortstop spot while batting sixth in the order versus right-hander Michael Wacha. |
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| Apr 5 2018 | Ahmed (illness) is not in the lineup for Thursday's matchup with the Cardinals. | This marks the third day in a row Ahmed will be sidelined due to being sick. Ketel Marte and Chris Owings will cover the middle infield in his stead. Look for Ahmed to try to get back in the lineup for Saturday's contest. |
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| Apr 4 2018 | Ahmed was sick Tuesday, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic Arizona reports. | The illness explains why Ahmed is out of the lineup for two games in a row. The Diamondbacks will want to get him back in action soon, as they're already down one infielder with Jake Lamb on the disabled list with a shoulder strain. |
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| Apr 4 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers. | Ahmed sat Tuesday as well. Ketel Marte will again slide over to shortstop, with Daniel Descalso at second and Deven Marrero receiving another start at third. There have been no reports that Ahmed is dealing with an injury, and there are no platoon factors at play, as the Diamondbacks have faced lefties in both games. It appears that the team is just giving Ahmed a pair of off days in a row. |
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| Apr 4 2018 | Ahmed is hoping that improved pitch selection and a swing path change will allow his hot offensive start to continue, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | He is working on not swinging at sinkers down and in or breaking balls down and away, which tend to lead to weak groundballs. Instead he is focusing on waiting for pitches that he can do damage on. "I think in the past I've probably not locked in a specific zone as much as I should and chased more of the pitchers' pitches, either on the corners or down and out of the zone," Ahmed said. His swing path has also evolved. He has worked with several hitting coaches and gurus recently to try to generate more balls in the air in the middle of the field. So far his production fits the narrative, as he is hitting .471 (.538 BABIP) with one home run and a 3:2 K:BB through 19 plate appearances. Of course, his career .230 batting average in 1,039 plate appearances looms as a reminder that this could very easily just be the result of good luck in a small sample size. It's at least not impossible, given his reported changes to his approach, that we could be witnessing a breakout. |
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| Apr 3 2018 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers. | Coming off Monday's 15-inning outing, Ahmed will have the night off. Ketel Marte will move to shortstop while Daniel Descalso covers second base, sending Ahmed to the bench. Look for Ahmed to return to action for Wednesday's series finale against Los Angeles. |
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| Apr 3 2018 | Ahmed went 3-for-6 with a double, walk, run and RBI on Monday in the Diamondbacks' 8-7 win over the Dodgers in 15 innings. | Despite entering the season with a lowly .618 career OPS, Ahmed has surprisingly emerged as the Diamondbacks' top hitter through four contests. He's notched an extra-base hit in each of those games while collecting seven RBI and four runs out of the No. 7 spot in the lineup. While it's unlikely that manager Torey Lovullo is ready to move Ahmed up in the order just yet, the shortstop may be worth a short-term look in deeper mixed leagues until his bat begins to cool. |
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| Mar 30 2018 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run and five RBI in the Diamondbacks' 9-8 win over the Rockies on Friday. | Coming off an injury-shortened 2017, Ahmed has the job as Arizona's starting shortstop to start 2018 and Friday's offensive explosion was certainly a good start to the gig. Anyone who thinks Ahmed is likely repeat the feat with great frequency would probably be best advised to temper their expectations, as the 28 year old has never had higher than a .717 OPS in any of his time at the big-league level. That said, if you have a need at the position it could be worth keeping tabs on what Ahmed does with the regular role to see if he parlays it into consistent production. |
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| Mar 30 2018 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a double, walk and two runs in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Rockies. | Ahmed opened the past season as the primary backup at shortstop behind Chris Owings, but the two are set to flip roles in 2018 with Owings transitioning to utility work in the infield and outfield. The prospect of more consistent plate appearances improves Ahmed's fantasy outlook, but probably not enough to make him an interesting commodity outside of NL-only formats. Even in what was a career year at the plate in 2017, Ahmed slashed just .251/.298/.419 across 178 plate appearances, which was good for a 76 wRC+. |
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| Mar 21 2018 | Ahmed was deployed as the starting shortstop and No. 8 hitter in Tuesday's 6-5 exhibition loss to the Angels in what could be a preview of the Diamondbacks' Opening Day lineup, Owen Perkins of MLB.com reports. | Manager Torey Lovullo hinted earlier in spring training that Ahmed would likely occupy the everyday gig at shortstop with Chris Owings transitioning to more of a utility role in 2018, so Ahmed's inclusion in the lineup isn't too surprising. Though the Diamondbacks have plenty of talent surrounding him in the order, Ahmed's placement near the bottom of the order nonetheless figures to limit his run-scoring and RBI opportunities. Regarded as a glove-first player, Ahmed took a step forward at the dish last season with a .717 OPS, which was more than 80 points better than his previous career high. Even so, Ahmed's offensive contributions were still below average, as reflected in his 76 wRC+. |
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| Mar 6 2018 | Ahmed appears to be in line to open the year as the Diamondbacks' primary shortstop, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | The front office reportedly largely attributes the team's 17-29 record over a 46-game stretch last summer to Ahmed being out with a fractured hand, as his defense and leadership at shortstop had been instrumental to the team's success earlier in the year. It's not hard to look at the Diamondbacks' moves this offseason and come to the conclusion that they really value defense, so Ahmed getting the bulk of the starts at shortstop would fit those values. It sounds like Ketel Marte will get the bulk of the starts at second base, giving the Diamondbacks a very strong middle-infield defense. Marte will also get the backup starts at shortstop, while Chris Owings and Daniel Descalso appear in line to serve as the utility options. Ahmed is the worst hitter of the bunch, and will offer very little fantasy value, even with close to everyday at-bats. |
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| Feb 27 2018 | Ahmed (wrist) is 2-for-4 with a double in two spring games. | Ahmed missed time last season due to hand and wrist injuries, but it seems like that is all behind him at this point. He's currently in the mix for starting duties in the Diamondbacks' middle infield, and his chances of garnering a prominent role increased following the trade of Brandon Drury to the Yankees. Ahmed will need to outperform Ketel Marte and Chris Owings (finger) this spring to prove he deserves regular playing time, though. |
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| Feb 20 2018 | Ahmed (wrist) is in the mix for a starting job in the middle infield, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | The 27-year-old is better known for his defense, but he took a step forward with his bat last season. He produced a career-best .251/.298/.419 slash line last season. Better yet, he posted a 1.078 OPS against lefties in that time. Brandon Drury, Ketel Marte and Chris Owings (finger) are also in the mix for playing time in the middle infield, but Ahmed's defense certainly gives him a good chance to claim a starting role if his bat keeps up this spring. |
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| Jan 12 2018 | Ahmed (wrist) agreed to a one-year, $1.275 million contract with the Diamondbacks on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of FanRagSports.com reports. | Just as Ahmed was on the verge of a return from a broken right hand, he was hit by a pitch on the same hand during a rehab game in August, necessitating wrist surgery. He took a step forward at the plate last season, but was still a below-average hitter. Ahmed will likely be limited to a utility role throughout 2018. |
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| Nov 4 2017 | Ahmed (wrist) was reinstated from the 60-day DL on Friday. | Ahmed underwent surgery in early September to repair his fractured right wrist, and should be fully healed and ready to go for spring training in a few months. Over the course of the 2017 season, Ahmed slashed .251/.298/.419 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 53 games. |
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| Sep 5 2017 | Ahmed will require surgery to repair his fractured right wrist, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | The initial thought was that Ahmed wouldn't require surgery on his wrist, but further tests confirmed otherwise, effectively putting an end to his season. The 27-year-old posted a .251/.298/.419 line with six homers and three stolen bases in 53 games for the Diamondbacks this season. |
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| Aug 31 2017 | Ahmed won't require surgery to repair his fractured right wrist and remains optimistic that he'll be able to return from the 60-day disabled list during a potential postseason run, Jarrid Denney of MLB.com reports. "Hopefully I can come off the DL and come back and help the team," Ahmed said Tuesday. "Hopefully we'll be playing in the playoffs and I can come back and help as at that point." | Ahmed has been on the disabled list since late June after he first broke his right hand when he was struck by a 99 mile-per-hour fastball from the Cardinals' Trevor Rosenthal. After an arduous two-month recovery, Ahmed was on track to rejoin the Diamondbacks this week before he was struck by a pitch in the same hand again last Sunday, in what would have been his final rehab game with Triple-A Reno. Fortunately for the shortstop, his latest fracture isn't deemed quite as serious, but he'll still face a six-to-eight-week recovery timeline, putting him on track for a mid-October return at the earliest. With Ahmed out of the picture, Adam Rosales looks secure in his role as the Diamondbacks' top utility infielder for the final month of the regular season. |
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| Aug 28 2017 | Ahmed suffered a fractured wrist when he was hit by a pitch during a rehab game Sunday night, The Arizona Republic reports. | Ahmed will be out another six-to-eight weeks. This is extremely unfortunate luck for Ahmed, who was due to return in a matter of days before the pitch struck the very hand he was rehabbing. It's possible Ahmed could make a return during the postseason should the Diamondbacks make a deep run, but his regular season is over. |
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| Aug 28 2017 | Ahmed (hand) went 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI in a rehab game for Triple-A Reno on Sunday. | After delivering a two-run blast in the third inning, Ahmed was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning and was replaced by a pinch runner. There haven't been any reports that Ahmed aggravating the fractured right hand he's spent the last two months recovering from, so it's possible that he was just pulled early from the contest for precautionary purposes. Ahmed had played eight innings at shortstop a night earlier, so his entry into the lineup on back-to-back days suggests he could be activated from the 60-day disabled list as soon as Tuesday's series opener against the Dodgers. |
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| Aug 24 2017 | Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday that Ahmed (hand) could soon move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Reno, Danny Knobler of MLB.com reports. | As he attempts to work his way back from a fractured right hand, the shortstop has already appeared in three rehab games for the Diamondbacks' rookie-level Arizona League club, going 0-for-7 with two walks in those contests. Though Ahmed hasn't found much success at the plate, Lovullo said that all reports he's received have been encouraging, particularly with how the 27-year-old has looked in the field. Ahmed plans to meet with the Diamondbacks when they return to Arizona following Thursday's road series finale with the Mets, at which point the rest of his rehab assignment should be mapped out. |
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| Aug 20 2017 | Ahmed (hand) made his first rehab appearance Saturday with the Diamondbacks' rookie-level Arizona League squad, going 0-for-2 with a walk over his three plate appearances. | It marked Ahmed's first game action since June 27 against the Cardinals, when he suffered a fractured right hand that required surgery and later resulted in his placement on the 60-day disabled list. As a result of the lengthy layoff, Ahmed may need to appear in several more games before the Diamondbacks determine he's picked up sufficient at-bats and is ready to rejoin the big club. Once he's activated, Ahmed will likely step in as the Diamondbacks' top reserve in the middle infield, making trade-deadline pickup Adam Rosales a bit of a redundant piece on the roster. |
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| Aug 9 2017 | Ahmed (hand) was cleared to begin hitting and throwing Monday, Jarrid Denney of MLB.com reports. | The shortstop has only gone through light hitting drills the last two days, batting off a tee and taking underhand tosses to test out his swing. He's hopeful to ramp up his activity and get in the batting cage later in the week before eventually facing pitching in batting-practice sessions. Ahmed noted that he's slightly ahead of schedule in his recovery after fracturing his right hand in a June 27 game, but since the Diamondbacks recently moved him to the 60-day disabled list, he won't be eligible to return until the end of the month. |
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| Aug 6 2017 | Ahmed (hand) has yet to do any hitting activity and remains limited to conditioning work, Alex Simon of MLB.com reports. | Ahmed has worked on strengthening his grip again after undergoing surgery to repair his fractured right hand back in June, but he's still dealing with too much discomfort to take hacks at the plate. The shortstop isn't eligible to return from the 60-day DL until Aug. 28, so the lack of progress in the rehab process up to this point shouldn't be viewed as a major concern just yet. Ahmed could see semi-regular starts in the middle infield once he rejoins the big club. |
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| Jul 31 2017 | Ahmed (hand) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list Monday. | Ahmed was shifted to the 60-day DL to clear room on the roster for Adam Rosales, who was acquired from the A's on Monday. He won't be eligible to return from the disabled list until August 28, while it remains unclear if he'll be ready by then. |
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| Jul 26 2017 | Ahmed (hand) had three pins surgically removed from his hand Wednesday, Jody Jackson of Fox Sports Arizona reports. | Ahmed is still experiencing some swelling in his hand, but this news at least means the rehabilitation progress can begin in earnest. The shortstop has been out since June 28 and isn't expected back until mid-August. |
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| Jun 28 2017 | Ahmed (hand) had three pins placed in his hand Wednesday, and will miss 6-to-8 weeks. | This moved Ahmed's expected return date into mid-August after the infielder suffered a small fracture in his right hand during Tuesday's game. Ahmed was struck by a pitch and he will have an extended absence away from the field while he recovers. The team called up shortstop Ketel Marte from Triple-A Reno to provide infield depth for the time being. There will likely be a clear timetable for his return by the end of the All-Star break. |
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| Jun 28 2017 | Ahmed (hand) was officially put on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday. | Ahmed suffered a small fracture in his right hand when he was hit by a pitch during Tuesday's contest. It is unclear how much time the infielder will miss, but it's likely that he won't be ready to come back until after the All-Star break. In his place, the Diamondbacks called up Ketel Marte from Triple-A Reno. |
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| Jun 28 2017 | Manager Torey Lovullo said Ahmed has a small fracture in his right hand, but will undergo further tests. | Ahmed left Tuesday's game after he was hit by a pitch, and subsequent evaluations confirmed the difficult scenario. A trip to the disabled list appears to be on the horizon for the backup shortstop, meaning Daniel Descalso will assume that duty behind regular starter Chris Owings. Expect Ahmed to return sometime after the All-Star break, depending on what trainers deem to be the best course of recovery. |
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| Jun 27 2017 | Ahmed exited Tuesday's game against the Cardinals early after being hit by a pitch in the wrist/forearm area, Jack Magruder of FanRagSports.com reports. | Ahmed was 0-for-3 at the plate before being removed from the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after being pelted by a 99 MPH fastball from Trevor Rosenthal. Ahmed will likely undergo testing Wednesday, at which point we'll receive word on the severity of his injury. |
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| Jun 21 2017 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, a walk and two runs against the Rockies on Wednesday. | He got his piece of Arizona's 16-run Coors Field explosion by hitting his first homer since May 31. This was only Ahmed's ninth start among the team's 17 games in June, and he'd been awfully quiet over the prior eight. Most of his numbers are sitting at personal bests right now, but that doesn't mean they do much for fantasy owners except in deep formats. |
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| Jun 15 2017 | Ahmed went 0-for-3 in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Tigers. | With Yasmany Tomas (groin) on the disabled list, Chris Owings has seen increased reps in the corner outfield, which has opened up shortstop for Ahmed on a semi-regular basis. It was already the seventh start of the month for Ahmed, but after a hot May at the dish, the infielder seems to have cooled. He's collected six hits in 25 at-bats (.240) with only two runs and two RBI in June. |
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| Jun 2 2017 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Marlins. | After hitting a go-ahead homer in Wednesday's 14-inning win over the Pirates, Ahmed remained hot at the dish in the series opener Thursday, turning in his fourth multi-hit performance in five starts. No hit was more clutch than Ahmed's two-run single in the eighth inning, which gave the Diamondbacks the lead for the first time in the game. Ahmed was starting at shortstop with Chris Owings receiving the day off, but because Owings is capable of playing second base or the corner outfield, manager Torey Lovullo can still find a way to keep Ahmed's bat in the lineup so long as he continues to sizzle. |
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| Jun 1 2017 | Ahmed went 2-for-6 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-5 win over the Pirates in 14 innings. | The 11th-inning home run was Ahmed's fifth of the season, exceeding his output from 2016 in nearly 200 fewer plate appearances. The Diamondbacks still value Ahmed for his reliable glove in the middle infield first and foremost, but the former fantasy afterthought has become a viable depth option in NL-only and deeper mixed leagues. Though Ahmed won't enjoy a full-time role while the Diamondbacks' regulars are relatively healthy, he should continue to receive three or four starts per week. |
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| May 28 2017 | Ahmed went 2-for-5 with an RBI double and a run scored in Sunday's 9-5 loss in Milwaukee. | A day after breaking up Chase Anderson's no-hit bid, Ahmed added two more hits in Milwaukee. His RBI double in the eighth inning jumpstarted a four-run rally for the Diamondbacks, though the deficit proved to be too large. Ahmed has tallied a hit in 12 of his last 16 games, hitting .327 over that stretch. |
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| May 25 2017 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double, stolen base, two runs and two RBI in Wednesday's 8-6 win over the White Sox. | Ahmed entered the lineup for the third time in four games with manager Torey Lovullo giving outfielder David Peralta the day off and turned in his fourth two-hit effort of the month. Though Ahmed doesn't have a direct line to an everyday role, the versatility of Chris Owings allows Lovullo to jostle his lineup as matchups warrant, enabling Ahmed to pick up a handful of starts per week. In addition to giving the Diamondbacks a dependable glove in the middle infield when he starts, Ahmed has also made himself a tougher out at the plate after routinely struggling to provide an offensive impact in his first three seasons in the big leagues. Ahmed's .725 OPS is up 161 points from 2016 and is 91 points better than his career-best mark. |
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| May 19 2017 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Padres. | Chris Owings will take over at shortstop after five straight starts there for Ahmed. The 27-year-old Ahmed hit .250 with a .836 OPS over that five-start stretch, recording a pair of solo home runs along the way. He figures to draw back into the lineup Saturday against Luis Perdomo. |
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| May 15 2017 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Pirates in 10 innings. | Ahmed has had quite the homestand thus far, despite appearing in only four of the Diamondbacks' six games. He's had multi-hit efforts in two of his three starts and reached base twice Sunday while notching his first stolen base since April 20. Ahmed still looks like he'll primarily serve in a backup capacity at second base or shortstop while Chris Owings and Brandon Drury are healthy, but Owings' ability to swing over to the corner outfield should allow Ahmed to pick up a handful of starts most weeks. |
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| May 14 2017 | Ahmed will draw his second straight start at shortstop and bat seventh in the order Sunday against the Pirates. | Fresh off his first career multi-homer game after taking PIrates starter Trevor Williams and closer Tony Watson deep for solo shots in Saturday's 4-3 loss, Ahmed will earn another starting nod, spelling Brandon Drury. With four homers already this season, Ahmed has equaled his total from all of 2016, but with the Diamondbacks infield at full health, it's uncertain if he'll be able to flash his burgeoning pop often enough to make waves outside of NL-only leagues. |
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| May 11 2017 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Tigers. | The homer was his second of the season. The 27-year-old isn't having the same impressive start to the season offensively that Chris Owings is, but Ahmed's .704 OPS would still be a career high if he can keep it up. |
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| May 3 2017 | Ahmed will start at shortstop and bat seventh in the order Wednesday against the Nationals. | Ahmed will make his fourth straight start Wednesday, but there's been no indication from the Diamondbacks that he'll be in store for an everyday role in the near future. These last two starts have come as a byproduct of David Peralta (illness) being unavailable, so once he's healthy, Ahmed figures to settle back into reserve duty. |
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| Apr 16 2017 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with his first home run of the season and four RBI in a 8-4 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday. | Ahmed's three-run homer in the second inning gave the Diamondbacks a brief lead, but the Dodgers would even the score in the bottom half of the inning before ultimately pulling away later in the contest. The shortstop has historically brought more value at the field than at the dish, but he's off to a good start offensively to begin 2017, going 6-for-17 while appearing in seven games. Unfortunately for Ahmed, the team's primary shortstop, Chris Owings, has been hot in his own right to begin the season, so Ahmed doesn't have a clear path to everyday at-bats. |
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| Apr 1 2017 | Manager Torey Lovullo said Chris Owings will receive the bulk of playing time at shortstop, but Ahmed will still see a fair share of starts, Bob McManaman of The Arizona Republic reports. | Ahmed has been behind Owings in terms of performance all spring, so the move doesn't come as much of a surprise. However, Lovullo said the move doesn't mean there won't be opportunities down the road. "Nick Ahmed is not a backup infielder," he said. "He's going to get a number of starts at shortstop." The general assumption here is that those starts will come on the days when Owings moves to right field. Ahmed is looking to move past his injury-riddled 2016 campaign, but won't carry as much value if he doesn't work his way into the everyday lineup. |
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| Mar 30 2017 | Ahmed has slashed .259/.267/.431 and has driven in 11 runs over 58 at-bats during Cactus League play. | Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo hasn't officially decided on a starting shortstop to begin the season, but based on spring performance alone, Ahmed seems to be well behind Chris Owings, who has been a Cactus League standout with a .352 average and five extra-base hits in 54 at-bats. Ahmed's spot on the Opening Day roster still looks secure after the club demoted Ketel Marte to Triple-A Reno earlier in the week, and his defensive acumen still might be enough to earn him a couple starts per week at either middle infield spot. |
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| Feb 28 2017 | Ahmed (hip) is 1-for-4 over two Cactus League games. | Ahmed underwent hip surgery in August, but has successfully rehabbed himself back to full health. Ahmed was used as a pinch hitter in one of the games he played in, but played multiple innings at shortstop in the other. If he stays healthy, Ahmed could leverage a solid spring showing into regular appearances at shortstop in the upcoming season. |
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| Sep 9 2016 | Ahmed was transferred to the 60-day DL on Friday. | This was simply a procedural move to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for the returning Rubby De La Rosa (elbow). Ahmed was already ruled out for the season after undergoing hip surgery in late August. |
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| Aug 26 2016 | Ahmed successfully underwent knee surgery Friday, Jack Magruder of FanRagSports.com reports. | After the procedure finished, Ahmed was able to ride a stationary bike. News regarding his return for the 2017 campaign should become available as Ahmed gets deeper into the rehab process. For the remainder of the 2016 season, Jean Segura and Chris Owings will likely share time at shortstop. |
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| Aug 20 2016 | Ahmed will have season-ending surgery on his hip, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports. | His hip was not responding to the cortisone shot he received, so Ahmed mad the decision to have surgery, which was the best decision for his long-term health. Ahmed has always been an all-glove shortstop and that was no different this season, as he slashed just .218/.265/.299 this season, which is down a little from his career line. Jean Segura and Chris Owings should share the duties at shortstop for the Diamondbacks over the rest of the season. |
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| Aug 9 2016 | Ahmed (hip) is expected to receive a cortisone shot, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | After having a second examination, Ahmed's initial diagnosis of having a hip impingement was confirmed. More information as to when he'll be activated from the DL should be known after he receives the cortisone injection. In the meantime, Chris Owings will continue to start at shortstop for the Diamondbacks. |
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| Jul 23 2016 | Ahmed was placed on the 15-day DL Saturday due to a right hip impingement. | The Diamondbacks swapped out shortstops on the DL Saturday, as Chris Owings was activated as a corresponding move. Ahmed's 43 wRC+ is the lowest mark in baseball among hitters with 300-plus plate appearances, and the next closest player is Alcides Escobar with a wRC+ of 60, so Ahmed is on his own level of offensive futility. Owings should get the bulk of the starts at shortstop for the Diamondbacks while Ahmed is out. |
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| Jul 4 2016 | Ahmed was reinstated from the paternity list prior to Monday's matchup against the Padres. | Ahmed landed on the paternity list Saturday, and during his absence, Jean Segura moved over to shortstop while Phil Gosselin picked up a few starts at the keystone. Ahmed has provided a positive defensive WAR through 78 games this season, but his .599 OPS leaves much to be desired. As a result, he'll likely continue to be pressed by Gosselin for playing time. |
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| Jul 2 2016 | Ahmed (paternity) plans on returning to the team for Monday's game against the Padres, Jody Jackson of FOX Sports Arizona reports. | Ahmed was placed on the paternity list earlier Saturday, and MLB rules state that he's allowed to miss up to three games while he's away from the team. However, it seems Ahmed intends to come back a day early instead of waiting the full three games. Jean Segura will take over at shortstop Saturday and could do so again for the series finale against the Giants, but Ahmed figures to be back in time for Monday's series opener against San Diego. |
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| Jul 2 2016 | Ahmed was placed on the paternity list Saturday. | By rule, Ahmed must miss at least three games and no more than seven games. Enrique Burgos was brought up in a corresponding move to bolster the team's bullpen depth while Ahmed is away. Phil Gosselin appears to be in line for a few starts at second base in the coming days with Jean Segura shifting to shortstop. |
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| Jun 29 2016 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Phillies. | With Ahmed out of the lineup, Jean Segura will move to shortstop and Phil Gosselin will cover second base. Ahmed, who's 7-for-16 over the last seven days, will likely return to the lineup Friday when Arizona faces Johnny Cueto and the Giants. |
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| Jun 27 2016 | Ahemd is in the lineup Monday against the Phillies. | With Ahmed starting at shortstop, Jean Segura will move over to second base and Brandon Drury will have the night off. Ahmed's performance has been underwhelming as of late, as he's hitting just .214 over the last 14 days. |
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| Jun 26 2016 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rockies. | Ahmed will effectively sit for the third time in four games, giving way to Jean Segura at shortstop with Brandon Drury at second. A .576 OPS simply isn't cutting it for Ahmed, so look for him to continue to lose playing time until he shows signs of turning things around (if he even gets that chance). |
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| Jun 24 2016 | Ahmed is out of the lineup again Friday against the Rockies. | Ahmed got the day off Thursday and will be out of the lineup again Friday, as Jean Segura will leadoff at shortstop and Phil Gosselin is stationed at second. Throughout the 2016 season, Ahmed is batting .211/.258/.313 with four home runs and 19 RBI. |
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| Jun 19 2016 | Ahmed went 3-for-4 with a solo homer in Saturday's 4-1 victory over the Phillies. | The 26-year-old did his damage out of the bottom of the order, tallying his second multi-hit game of June, with the first one also having been a three-hit effort back on June 10. Ahmed is still struggling at the plate overall but is picking it up a bit this month, now slashing .261/.271/.413 over 46 at-bats. His homer also represented the first time he'd gone deep since way back on April 13. |
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| Jun 5 2016 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Cubs. | The light-hitting Ahmed will get a regular day off after starting three straight, allowing Chris Owings to take over at shortstop, effectively opening up a spot for Michael Bourn in center field. Ahmed is hitless in his last 12 plate appearances, so the timing was right to make a switch in an effort to inject some offense into a lineup that will be facing ace Jake Arrieta on Sunday afternoon. |
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| May 31 2016 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Astros. | After starting the last four games, Ahmed will get the day off as the Diamondbacks go with Chris Owings at shortstop, while Michael Bourn takes over in center field. Owings will bat seventh against the Astros' Lance McCullers. |
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| May 25 2016 | Ahmed is in the lineup Wednesday after taking a pitch to the jaw on Tuesday. | Ahmed left Tuesday's game, as did fellow middle infielder Jean Segura, who took a pitch to the head. While Segura will sit out at least Wednesday, Ahmed will get right back in there, starting at short and batting leadoff. |
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| May 24 2016 | Ahmed left Tuesday's game after getting hit by a pitch in the jaw. | The team will release more information after he undergoes tests. Jean Segura also left after getting hit in the head by Arquimedes Caminero, who had no idea where the ball was going during his mop-up work Tuesday, so the Diamondbacks could be stretched pretty thin if Ahmed and Segura have to miss a game or two. |
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| May 20 2016 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals. | As good as Ahmed is defensively, he's been so bad offensively that it's negated his impact with the glove. The 26-year-old is now batting .188/.247/.297 on the season following an 0-for-3 showing Wednesday. Chris Owings will replace him at shortstop for Friday's game. |
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| May 15 2016 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Giants. | Ahmed will be replaced at shortstop by regular center fielder Chris Owings, while manager Chip Hale gives Chris Herrmann the start in center. It's a bit of an unorthodox lineup shuffle, so look for Ahmed and his .175/.239/.278 slash line to be back in action for Monday's series opener against the Yankees. |
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| May 11 2016 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Rockies. | The usual starter at shortstop, Ahmed will get the day off as the Diamondbacks go up against Colorado righty Chad Bettis. He'll be replaced at short by Jean Segura, who will serve as the leadoff man. |
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| Apr 21 2016 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Thursday against the Giants. | The everyday shortstop will get the day off as the Diamondbacks go with Jean Segura at short, shifting Phil Gosselin into the lineup at second base. Expect Ahmed to return to the lineup Friday when Arizona kicks off a three-game set with the Pirates back in Phoenix. |
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| Apr 12 2016 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs Tuesday at the Dodgers. | His second homer of the year tied the game at one in the seventh inning before he later scored an important insurance run in the ninth. After going 0-for-10 in the four-game series against the Cubs, his clutch performance will hopefully get him back on track. |
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| Apr 10 2016 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Cubs. | Ahmed has made six straight starts at shortstop to begin the season, but will give way to Chris Owings for the afternoon contest. After collecting two hits in each of the season's first three games, Ahmed has cooled off a bit, going 0-for-10 at the dish in his last three contests. A regular maintenance day was likely in order. |
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| Apr 1 2016 | Manager Chip Hale said Friday that Ahmed, Chris Owings and Jean Segura will rotate around between second base and shortstop, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. | All three players have been raking throughout the spring -- Ahmed has gone 26-for-62 (.419 average) -- and all three will be rewarded with a role at the major league level. Segura is expected to receive everyday playing time, so Ahmed and Owings, both right-handed hitters, will effectively continue their competition for at-bats into the regular season. |
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| Mar 22 2016 | Ahmed is hitting .429 (18-for-42) with one home run, eight runs scored and 11 RBI this spring. | Ahmed started 116 games at short for the Diamondbacks last year, but his grip on the position seemed to slip with the team's offseason acquisition of Jean Segura. However, manager Chip Hale said Ahmed would compete for time, and his strong spring play is helping his cause. Ahmed hit just .226 with an anemic .275 on-base percentage in 2015, though he is considered a plus defender. |
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| Feb 25 2016 | Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale says Ahmed will compete to play short this season, the Arizona Republic reports. | Ahmed played 134 games and collected 459 plate appearances last season, but his grip on a full-time role loosened with the team's recent acquisition of Jean Segura. Ahmed hit just .226 with an anemic .275 on-base percentage in 2015, so Segura figures to be an offensive upgrade, though Ahmed is considered to be the better defensive player. |
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| Sep 29 2015 | Ahmed (back) remains out of the lineup Tuesday against the Rockies. | Tuesday's absence marks the sixth straight for Ahmed, who injured his back making a spectacular fall-away throw last week. Ahmed recently reported improvement, but it's uncertain when he may return for Arizona. Chris Owings will man short once again Tuesday with Brandon Drury at second base. |
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| Sep 29 2015 | Ahmed (back) probably won't play again this season, the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro reports. | This comes as no surprise, as there is less than a week remaining in the season. The MRI on his back showed bruising, but nothing that should hinder his ability to be ready for the start of the 2016 season. While Ahmed played plus defense at shortstop this year, his offensive limitations will likely have the D-Backs searching for internal and external upgrades during the offseason. |
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| Sep 27 2015 | Ahmed (back) is out of the lineup Sunday against the Padres. | Ahmed is missing his fifth straight game while he continues to deal with the back issue. The Diamondbacks have been using Chris Owings at shortstop to cover for Ahmed's absence, with Aaron Hill and Phil Gosselin splitting time at the keystone. |
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| Sep 26 2015 | Ahmed (back) is not in the lineup Saturday. | Manager Chip Hale did not expect Ahmed to return until sometime during the weekend, however, barring any late scratch, the 25-year-old will remain out of the starting lineup Saturday. He hasn't been able to play since suffering a back injury while making a dazzling defensive stop Tuesday. In the meantime Chris Owings will get another start at shortstop and hit eighth in the lineup. |
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| Sep 25 2015 | Ahmed (back) is not in the lineup Friday against the Padres. | The news doesn't come as much of a surprise, as manager Chip Hale reported he didn't expect to have Ahmed back before the weekend. Brandon Drury will get the start at shortstop in his place and bat eighth. |
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| Sep 23 2015 | Ahmed (back) is improving, but likely won't return before the weekend according to manager Chip Hale. | Tuesday's back injury will already keep Ahmed out of Wednesday's lineup and it will likely keep him out for at least another day as well. While he hasn't been officially ruled out for Thursday's series finale against the Dodgers, owners should expect him back Friday at the earliest. |
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| Sep 23 2015 | Ahmed (back) is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers, Eric Stephen of SB Nation reports. | He was taking advantage of his start atop the order Tuesday, doubling and scoring a run in three trips before jamming his lower back and leaving the game. Chris Owings will shift over to shortstop with Ahmed sitting Wednesday as Brandon Drury slots in as the second baseman. |
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| Sep 23 2015 | Ahmed left Tuesday's game with a jammed lower back, the Associated Press reports. | He injured himself on a dazzling defensive play and was replaced by Aaron Hill, with Chris Owings sliding over to shortstop. Ahmed had a double and a run scored in three at-bats before exiting. |
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| Sep 22 2015 | Ahmed will bat leadoff Tuesday against the Dodgers. | The 25-year-old will be afforded his 10th start of the season atop the order with Ender Inciarte sitting against lefty Alex Wood. While Ahmed has posted just a .590 OPS since the All-Star break, he's been much better this season against left-handed pitching (.295/.359/.438) than against right-handers (.201/.246/.329). |
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| Sep 19 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Giants. | This is Ahmed's third day off in Arizona's last five games, with Chris Owings again getting the start shortstop and batting eighth. |
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| Sep 16 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Wednesday. | Ahmed is a very low-end starting shortstop for fantasy purposes and he should see four or five starts per week down the stretch due to his strong defense. |
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| Sep 14 2015 | Ahmed isn't in Monday's lineup against the Padres. | Ahmed continues to see most of the starts at shortstop, but he will receive a day off Monday. In his place, the Diamondbacks will use Chris Owings at shortstop and Phil Gosselin at second. |
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| Sep 11 2015 | Ahmed was spectacular on Friday, as he went 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored in a blowout over the Dodgers. | The average has been lacking for Ahmed, but he has some surprising pop for a little guy. In 125 games played this season, Ahmed has nine homers and 16 doubles. With that said, he has gone just 4-for-9 in steal attempts and his .226 average makes him tough to own in any format. Ahmed does have some speed though and it's just a matter of time before he learns how to steal rather than just relying on his speed to get steals. It sounds silly, but understanding pitchers is more important with stealing bases than pure speed and that comes with experience more than anything. |
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| Sep 8 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Giants. | As has been the case once every few games over the last several weeks, Ahmed will be held out while Chris Owings gets the start at shortstop for the Diamondbacks. |
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| Sep 7 2015 | Ahmed hit his eighth home run, a two-run shot, Sunday in a loss to the Cubs. | Ahmed has seen his playing time decline as the Diamondbacks try to work multiple players into their middle infield down the stretch. He has had a disappointing season, posting just a .218/.268/.338 line, and while the eight home runs are a bit of a surprise, he has stolen just four bases in nine attempts, which is one area fantasy players might have expected a decent contribution. |
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| Sep 5 2015 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a triple, RBI, and walk Friday in a loss to the Cubs. | Ahmed has seen his playing time decline over the past few weeks and the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro notes that Ahmed's poor performance since mid-July has pushed the D-backs to give Chris Owings, Phil Gosselin, and Brandon Drury more playing time, especially since the last two joined the team. Other than a couple of decent months in May and June, Ahmed has been pretty poor at the plate - posting just a .216/.268/.331 line on the year - and his future beyond this season is unclear. |
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| Sep 2 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Rockies. | Ahmed will sit now for the third time in four games, which could indicate a more permanent switch in the lineup. Chris Owings will once again start at shortstop, while Phil Gosselin will make his fourth straight start at second base. |
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| Aug 31 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Monday against the Rockies, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | Ahmed has received most of the starts at shortstop recently, but the combination of his poor play at the plate and the activation of Phil Gosselin on Monday could lead to more sparse playing time moving forward. Chris Owings will start at shortstop in his place Monday, batting eighth for the Diamondbacks. |
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| Aug 27 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Thursday against the Cardinals. | Ahmed continues to struggle at the dish, batting just .200/.221/.280 in the month of August. He still receives most of the starts at shortstop, but could begin to lose them if he doesn't turn it around. Chris Owings will start at shortstop Thursday, while Aaron Hill starts at second base. |
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| Aug 24 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Monday against the Cardinals. | Ahmed continues to receive most of the starts at shortstop despite his recent struggles, but he'll take a seat Monday in favor of Chris Owings at short, while Aaron Hill will join the lineup at second base and bat seventh for the Diamondbacks. |
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| Aug 22 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Saturday. | Ahmed's absence presumably won't dampen the spirits of fantasy owners, as he is slashing a woeful .219/.273/.324 on the season. Chris Owings, a similarly inept hitter this season, will get the start at shortstop and hit eighth Saturday. |
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| Aug 11 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies. | Chris Owings will shift over to short as Aaron Hill steps in at second against right-hander David Buchanan. Ahmed finished July on a 2-for-26 slide, and after a four-hit game early this month, has gone just 3-for-23 in his last six starts. |
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| Aug 6 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Thursday, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert reports. | A lot of the Diamondbacks' regulars are getting the day off Thursday, and Cliff Pennington will get the start at shortstop in place of Ahmed. The 25-year-old shortstop has had a pretty fair audition this season, but his .229/.287/.342 slash line may compel Arizona to look for alternative options at shortstop during the offseason. |
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| Aug 3 2015 | Ahmed was a perfect 4-for-4 Monday evening, launching his seventh home run of the season. | Ahmed isn't known for his bat, raising his average from .221 to .232 with his one big night. The shortstop already has six hits in August after he mustered a paltry .184 batting average in July. |
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| Jul 29 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners. | Ahmed continues to serve as the everyday shortstop for the Diamondbacks, but his .225/.285/.337 batting line through 90 games remains a bit underwhelming. Cliff Pennington will receive the start Wednesday in his place, batting ninth. |
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| Jul 25 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Saturday against the Brewers. | Ahmed has registered just two hits over his previous 10 games and will give way to Cliff Pennington who's recorded two hits in his last five at bats alone. Pennington could find a way to win over the starter's role if he performs well Saturday, although Ahmed still remains in control despite his well-documented slump at the plate. |
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| Jul 22 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins. | The 25-year-old homered in his final two games of June, but has gone 12-for-53 (.226 average) with three extra-base hits so far in July, with a 2-for-18 mark to begin the second half. Ahmed remains the primary option at shortstop for Arizona, but will give way to Cliff Pennington on Wednesday against Jose Fernandez. |
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| Jul 9 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a walk, RBI and run hitting leadoff Wednesday in a win over Texas. | Ahmed continues to collect hits, including 10 in his last 27 at-bats (.370) and has raised his season line to a respectable .249/.314/.365. Coming into the year, it looked like he could be a source of steals if he was able to get on base, but he just 4-for-9 in stolen base attempts. While his six home runs are a nice surprise, an improvement in his success on the base paths would be welcome in the second half. |
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| Jul 6 2015 | Ahmed went 3-for-5 with a double and run Sunday in a loss to Colorado. | Ahmed has three multi-hit games in in his last six as he continues to turn his offensive game around after a brutal start to the season. He has raised his walk rate above eight percent and lowered his strikeout rate under 20 percent for the year. He doesn't profile as a strong fantasy performer due to his lack of power, but his defense will keep him in the lineup. |
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| Jul 3 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Friday. | Ahmed certainly deserves a day off, as he has six hits and two home runs in his last four games. The recent power is a bit misleading, as he is not really that kind of player, but it does seem like he's making strides offensively. Cliff Pennington will get the start at shortstop Friday. |
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| Jul 1 2015 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run, his sixth, Tuesday in a loss to the Dodgers. | Ahmed posted a second consecutive month with an OPS over .700 in June after he hit .140/.234/.158 in April. His six home runs are as many as he hit at any minor league level and he could reach double digits this year, which qualifies as a nice surprise. |
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| Jun 30 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with two-run home run (his fifth) and a stolen base Monday in a win over the Dodgers. | Ahmed has had a productive month of June, with three home runs and steals, seven extra-base hits total, and 10 walks against 13 strikeouts. It remains to be seen whether this is just a small sample mirage, but the improved batting with his good defense should keep Ahmed in the D-backs lineup the rest of the way. |
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| Jun 24 2015 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with his fourth home run (a solo shot) Tuesday in a loss to the Rockies. | Ahmed's four home home runs equal his output from Triple-a last year and have to qualify as a surprise. He has posted a perfectly adequate .805 OPS over the past month and should provide value at a thin position the rest of the way. It would be nice to see him swipe a few more bags and perhaps he will get the chance with a more stable offensive game. |
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| Jun 20 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Padres. | The 25-year-old singled twice in Friday's win, his third multi-hit effort in his last five games, but Ahmed will sit Saturday in favor of Cliff Pennington at shortstop. It's a minuscule sample, but Pennington is 3-for-5 in his career against Saturday's starter Tyson Ross, so that may factored in to him getting the nod. |
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| Jun 20 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with an RBI on Friday against San Diego. | Ahmed continues to make strides at the plate with his third multi-hit game in his last five starts. While his profile is low-impact from a fantasy perspective due to a lack of power, he has a secure grip on the shortstop job in Arizona and posted a .297/.373/.473 line over his last 91 at-bats, which could offer some value in deep leagues or as an injury replacement. |
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| Jun 19 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with an RBI Thursday against Anaheim. | Ahmed has now reached base in 10 straight games and after a disastrous start to the season has posted a .287/.367/.471 line over the past month, which is close to what he did in Triple-A last year. The hot run has likely earned him a longer leash, so he could be worth looking at in deeper leagues where he could add some valuable stolen bases. |
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| Jun 16 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs Monday against Anaheim. | Ahmed has picked things up lately, boosting his line to .204/.302/.318 for the season with a 6-for-19 (.316) performance in the past week and adding four walks in that span. His defense will keep him in the majors if he can get on base at a better than .300 clip and he has the speed to steal 15-plus bases, which could make him useful in deep leagues. |
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| Jun 14 2015 | Ahmed went 0-for-2 with two walks, an RBI, and a run scored Saturday against the Giants. | Ahmed has been on a role lately, especially getting on base, drawing eight walks in the past two weeks. He is probably doing enough at the plate now with his strong defensive game not to lose at-bats any time soon. He still doesn't add a lot to fantasy lineups, but he can add some value in deep leagues if he keeps up this level of play. |
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| Jun 14 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Sunday against the Giants. | Ahmed has made six straight starts at shortstop, but will rest in favor of Cliff Pennington for the Sunday afternoon contest. The 25-year-old Ahmed is just 6-for-32 (.188) since the start of June, bringing his season average down to .217. |
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| Jun 13 2015 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a walk Friday against the Giants. | Ahmed has been better at the plate recently, posting a .250/.375/.250 line over his last 20 at-bats. He has drawn four walks and stolen two bases in the last week, which is encouraging as steals are one of few advantages he can offer in fantasy. If he keeps this up, he can be serviceable in deep and NL-only leagues. |
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| Jun 6 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Mets. | Cliff Pennington will slot in at shortstop as Ahmed sits for the second time in four games. Ahmed has followed up his strong month of May (.286/.321/.468) by going 1-for-12 to begin June, though he has drawn four walks already this month. |
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| Jun 3 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Wednesday. | He offers solid defense without much at the plate. Cliff Pennington will get the start at shortstop Wednesday but Ahmed still figures to be in the lineup most days. |
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| May 31 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Brewers. | Ahmed has managed to string together eight straight starts, but will sit in favor of Cliff Pennington on Sunday afternoon. The 25-year-old shortstop has homered three times in his last eight games, more than doubling his slugging percentage from April to May. |
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| May 30 2015 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with his third home run (a solo shot) Friday against the Brewers. | This is Ahmed's third home run in the past week, to go along with two doubles and a triple, as he heats up at the plate, posting a .286/.310/.714 line in that span. The hot streak probably ensures he gets a longer leash if he goes back to struggling a bit, as the D-Backs value his defense highly. The power display is a surprise, and not likely to last, so enjoy it now before it disappears. |
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| May 27 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Tuesday against the Cardinals. | Ahmed has hit both of his home runs this season in the past week and has five extra-base hits in that span. He is batting .218/.279/.311 on the season, which is not very fantasy friendly, but his defense keeps him in the lineup for the D-Backs. Despite the playing time and his recent surge, he is still unusable in all but the deepest leagues. |
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| May 25 2015 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored Sunday against the Cubs. | Ahmed has hits in three straight games and is batting .450 over his last 20 at-bats. His season line is still a weak .216/.281/.279, but it is moving toward respectability. While the hits are starting to drop, Ahmed has not drawn a walk since May 12, a trend will need to change if he is to sustain longer-term success against major league pitchers, since he doesn't offer much power to keep them honest. |
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| May 23 2015 | Ahmed went 3-for-6 with his first home run of the season Friday against the Cubs. He drove in two runs and was caught stealing. | Ahmed has gotten very hot after a slow start to the season, batting .500 (8-for-16) over the last seven days. He is pushing his batting line toward respectability, but still has a ways to go at just .212/.281/.260 on the season. |
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| May 21 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Marlins. | Ahmed tallied four hits and two RBI over his last two games, but manager Chip Hale decided to hold him out Thursday. Cliff Pennington will get the start at shortstop in Ahmed's place. |
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| May 21 2015 | Ahmed is sitting Thursday after going 2-for-4 with a double, a steal, an RBI and a run Wednesday against the Marlins. | Ahmed is batting .389 over his last 18 at-bats and just collected his first steal of the year, but still hasn't gotten to the positive side of the Mendoza line. If he could get on base a bit more often, he could produce double-digit steals, but since Ahmed has struggled, he hasn't been able to take advantage of his speed. The day off is just a routine one as manager Chip Hale continues to work everyone in the crowded Arizona infield into the lineup. |
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| May 20 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Tuesday's win over the Marlins. | Ahmed had a tough start to the season but has been better of late, posting a .412 average over his last 17 at-bats with hits in the last five games in which he's had an at-bat. That said, the hot streak only boosts his season line to .181/.260/.191 and he still doesn't belong on a roster in most fantasy leagues despite the fact that his defense will keep getting him playing time in Arizona. |
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| May 18 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Monday against the Marlins. | Ahmed will remain on the bench for the second straight game as Chris Owings gets the nod at shortstop, as was the case Sunday afternoon. The 25-year-old has hit safely in each of his last four games, and he'll look to continue improving upon his sub-par season average of .165 (15-for-91) upon his return to the lineup. |
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| May 17 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Sunday against the Phillies. | Ahmed has begun to come around at the plate lately with a four-game hitting streak, but with an ugly .165/.176/.248 batting line for the season, he still has a long way to go before he becomes a respectable everyday option in the middle infield. Chris Owings will move over from his usual spot at second base to fill in for Ahmed at shortstop. |
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| May 17 2015 | Ahmed extended his hitting streak to four games by going 1-for-3 with an RBI on Saturday against the Phillies. Nevertheless, he will take a seat on the bench Sunday. | Ahmed's season line is still a miserable .165/.248/.176, but he has been slightly better lately with a .238 average in his last 21 at-bats. While he is having some bad luck with a .234 BABIP, he is striking out in 26.5 percent of his plate appearances, which makes it very difficult for him to use his speed to get on base. |
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| May 13 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored Tuesday in a win over the Nationals. | Ahmed's defense keeps him in the lineup despite a .150/.244/.163 batting line. His performance at the plate isn't improving much with more exposure either - these two singles were his first hits in five games. Despite a strong season at Triple-A Reno last year, Ahmed doesn't have a track to suggest that a breakout is imminent and he simply can't help your fantasy team at this point. |
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| May 6 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup for second half of Wednesday's doubleheader. | The fact that Ahmed's batting average is still below .150 and it's a week into May does not bode well for his playing time going forward, at least in the short term. Cliff Pennington will get the start at shortstop in Game 2 on Wednesday. |
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| May 2 2015 | Ahmed isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Dodgers. | Ahmed continues to struggle offensively for the Diamondbacks, and he'll get the day off Saturday in favor Cliff Pennington, who will bat eighth for the club. |
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| Apr 28 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies. | Ahmed has tallied just two hits since Apr. 16, so manager Chip Hale decided to give him the day off Tuesday. Chris Owings will cover the shortstop position in Ahmed's place Tuesday night, and Aaron Hill will replace Owings at second base. |
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| Apr 25 2015 | Ahmed is out of the lineup Saturday against the Pirates. | Ahmed has been in quite the funk at the plate recently, recording just one hit in his last six games (21 at-bats). Cliff Pennington will start at short and bat eighth Saturday. |
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| Apr 23 2015 | Ahmed went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk Wednesday in an 8-5 win over the Rangers. | Ahmed broke a four-game, 15 at-bat hitless slump with a double in the seventh inning. He is struggling mightily at the plate with just a .136/.240/.159 batting line, which is making it tough for him to add any offensive value through steals or runs because he is not getting on base. Until he turns things around, he is droppable in most leagues. |
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| Apr 22 2015 | Ahmed was 0-for-4 with an RBI and a strikeout Tuesday in a 7-1 loss to the Rangers. | This is the fourth straight game Ahmed has gone without a hit, lowering his batting line to .122/.217/.122 on the season. While he has had some bad luck (he has a .185 BABIP on the season), his 30% strike out rate makes it pretty clear that he is over matched at the plate. Look for Ahmed to get a day off to clear his head if he doesn't get a couple of hits to drop soon. |
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| Apr 18 2015 | Ahmed's struggles at the plate continued Friday, as he went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in a 9-0 win over San Francisco. | Ahmed is just 4-for-22 over his last seven games and has managed just a .161/.257/.161 line through 35 plate appearances thus far. He has actually managed a walk rate in line with his minor league record at 8.6%, but he is just not making enough contact, striking out in a quarter of his at-bats. While the Diamondbacks value his defensive contribution, Ahmed looks overmatched at the plate in the majors and could end up back at Triple-A soon if he can't make some adjustments. |
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| Apr 13 2015 | Ahmed was 2-for-4 with a strikeout Sunday in a 7-4 loss to the Dodgers. | While his teammates were getting dominated by Dodgers' starter Zack Greinke, Ahmed got two singles off of him. This was Ahmed's first multi-hit game of the season and a welcome relief to his slow start. Ahmed is still batting just .188, but he has drawn a couple of walks to boost his on-base percentage to .316. With the caliber of his glove, he doesn't need to hit a ton to stay in the lineup and if he can string together a few solid days at the plate it should solidify his position. |
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| Apr 13 2015 | Ahmed is not in the lineup Monday against the Padres. | Ahmed has struggled at the plate so far, hitting just 3-for-16 with five strikeouts, but it appears to be just a normal day off. Chris Owings will take over at short, batting second, while Aaron Hill will assume second base duties and bat seventh. |
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| Apr 12 2015 | Ahmed went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout Saturday in a 6-0 win over the Dodgers. | Ahmed is really struggling at the plate to start the year, going just 1-for-12 (.083), although he has drawn two walks for a still-brutal .267 OBP. It was a surprise that Ahmed made the D-Backs out of spring training and he could be sent down for more seasoning at Triple-A if the team feels he is overmatched at the plate. He could add some steals in fantasy, but, as the saying goes, you can't steal first so until he is reaching base more often his upside is limited. |
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| Apr 8 2015 | Ahmed is out of the Diamondbacks' lineup Wednesday against the Giants. | Ahmed, who went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts, a walk and a HBP in the team's first two games, will sit as Cliff Pennington takes over at short and bats eighth against Chris Heston. While Ahmed is the primary option at short, manager Chip Hale has done a fair amount of juggling with his lineup in the early going and that figures to continue moving forward. |
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| Apr 7 2015 | Ahmed was 0-for-1 with a walk on Opening Day before being pinch hit for in the eighth inning in a 5-4 loss to the Giants. He was also hit by a pitch. | Reaching base twice from the eighth spot in the batting order against San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner will keep Ahmed in the DBacks good graces. Ahmed is expected back at shortstop Tuesday for the Diamondbacks when they face Ryan Vogelsong. |
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| Apr 6 2015 | Ahmed (hip) is in the starting lineup for Monday's Opening Day game against the Giants. | Ahmed left Saturday's spring training game after getting plunked by a pitch, but appears to be fine as the regular season commences. Assuming nothing occurs Monday, he should be good to go moving forward. |
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| Apr 4 2015 | Ahmed left Saturday's spring training game after getting hit on his left hip by a pitch, MLB.com reports. | The injury sounds minor as he was able to walk to first base, but any setback could cause him to miss regular season games at this point. |
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| Apr 3 2015 | Ahmed went 2-for-4 with a run scored, two RBI, and a stolen base Thursday against the White Sox. | Ahmed is now hitting .328/.350/.241 for the spring and is in the mix as the possible starter at shortstop. He has outpaced teammate Chris Owings, who is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, so far this spring. Ahmed is known as more of a glove-first player, but would bring speed to the table if he can hit enough to get on base. The final decision about who starts at shortstop is down to the wire with Arizona's opener coming up on Monday. |
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| Apr 3 2015 | Ahmed will open the year as the Diamondbacks' starting shortstop, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. | A second-round pick by the Braves in 2011, Ahmed took a significant step forward at the plate at Triple-A Reno last season, batting .312/.373/.435 with a 37:55 K:BB in 104 games (452 PA). Manager Chip Hale has decided to go with youth up the middle of the infield, slotting Chris Owings in at second base opposite Ahmed, with Aaron Hill coming off the bench. Ahmed has little power to speak of but can run. It's entirely possible Ahmed could approach 20 steals even in a bottom-third spot in the order, if he holds onto the job all year. |
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| Mar 24 2015 | The Mets optioned Leathersich to Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal reports. | Leathersich competed for a roster spot this spring, but he was knocked around a bit, and will thus open his season in the minors. Leathersich throws left-handed and struck out a whopping 93 batters in 54.1 minor league innings last season, so he could be an option for the Mets at some point this season. |
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| Mar 2 2015 | Ahmed is in the mix for a utility role with the Diamondbacks this spring. | Whether or not he breaks camp on the Opening Day roster may hinge on factors out of Ahmed's control, including the health of Chris Owings (shoulder) among others. Ahmed's glove makes him an appealing utility option for big league clubs, but there are questions regarding his ability to hit big league pitching consistency. If he were to find regular playing time, Ahmed could prove to be a useful source of double-digit steals for owners in deeper formats. |
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| Sep 15 2014 | Ahmed was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Monday, SB Nation reports. | The 24-year-old shortstop hit .312 with 26 doubles and four home runs in 104 games at Reno, and should play occasionally down the stretch for Arizona. |
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| Aug 8 2014 | Ahmed was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Friday. | Cliff Pennington return's earlier in the week put Ahmed on the roster bubble, and it seems the club has decided he's better off playing regularly at Reno for now. While Ahmed hit just .228/.254/.316 in 19 games with the big club, he's hit .324/.390/.431 with Reno and should be back up when rosters expand. |
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| Aug 4 2014 | Ahmed went 0-for-1 with two walks, but was hit by a potential double-play ball that allowed the winning run to score in the 10th inning of the Diamondbacks' 3-2 win over the Pirates on Sunday. | The injury does not look serious. Since being pulled up by the Diamondbacks on June 29, Ahmed has batted .245 with four RBIs in the back-up shortstop slot. The game snapped his four-game hitting streak. At 24, he figures to factor into the team's future infield with Didi Gregorius |
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| Jul 28 2014 | Ahmed played the hero Monday night, singling home Martin Prado in the 15th inning. | The game-winning hit was Ahmed's second in six at-bats. The young shortstop has struggled with the bat in his first taste of the Majors, but now has four hits over his last three games. Ahmed also has RBI in each of his past two games. |
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| Jul 9 2014 | Ahmed went 1-for-4 with an RBI while starting at shortstop for the D-Backs on Wednesday afternoon. | With Didi Gregorius manning second base, Ahmed handled shortstop duties Wednesday, which speaks volumes about the D-Backs' evaluation of his defensive work. Once Chris Owings is ready to return from his shoulder injury, the Arizona infield will be very crowded, which will likely punch Ahmed's return ticket to Triple-A Reno after the All-Star break. |
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| Jul 1 2014 | Ahmed is making his second straight start for the D-Backs on Tuesday night. | After being called up to replace Chris Owings (shoulder) on the roster, Ahmed went 1-for-3 in his big league debut Sunday against the Padres. He'll get another spin at shortstop and bat eighth Tuesday night. |
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| Jun 29 2014 | Ahmed was called up from Triple-A Reno on Sunday. | A second-round pick by the Braves in 2011, Ahmed will join the Diamondbacks after batting a robust .324/.390/.431 in 79 games with Reno to begin the season. He replaces Chris Owings (shoulder) on the active roster, and will make his first career start Sunday against right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne. The 24-year-old will likely share time at short with Didi Gregorius. |
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