Play Ball! 2016 Major League Baseball Season Underway, DBacks Open Monday

AZLatinos.com Staff

Looking to improve last season’s record of 79 – 83, the Arizona Diamondbacks start the 2016 season with high hopes after improving the team during the off-season.

The Diamondbacks will open at home on Monday against the Colorado Rockies, it will be Arizona’s Opening Day.

Newly acquired Zack Greinke will start on the mound for Arizona against former Diamondbacks Jorge de la Rosa.

Greinke is one of the main reasons the Arizona Diamondbacks are considered one of the favorites to win the National League Western Division.

Greinke finished last year second to Jake Arrieta for the National League Cy Young Award; he won it in 2009. The right handed finished with a record of 19-3, 1.66 ERA.

The Rockies finished last in the National League West last year with a record of 68-94.

Mexican born De la Rosa is currently the Rockies all-time winningest pitcher with 78 victories with Colorado.

The game is scheduled to start at 6:40 p.m. A series of festivities will take place before the game.

Opening Day festivities include:

• Louisville Silver Slugger Award presentation to Paul Goldschmidt
• Wilson Defensive Player of the Year (First Base) award presentation to Goldschmidt
• Rawlings Gold Glove Award presentations to Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock
• Ceremonial first pitch by Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald
• National anthem sung by Grammy-nominated recording artist David Nail
• Flyover by two F-35s from the 62nd Fighter Squadron’s “Spikes” from Luke Air Force Base at the conclusion of the anthem

The following is the opening day roster for the Arizona Diamondbacks:

Right-handed Pitchers (9) – Jake Barrett, Silvino Bracho, Tyler Clippard, Rubby De La Rosa; Randall Delgado, Zack Greinke, Daniel Hudson, Shelby Miller and Brad Ziegler;

Left-handed Pitchers (3) – Andrew Chafin, Patrick Corbin and Robbie Ray;

Catchers (2) – Welington Castillo and Chris Herrmann;

Infielders (7) – Nick Ahmed, Brandon Drury, Paul Goldschmidt, Phil Gosselin, Jake Lamb, Chris Owings and Jean Segura;

Outfielders (4) – Sócrates Brito, David Peralta, Yasmany Tomás and Rickie Weeks, Jr.

Disabled list (2) – Josh Collmenter and A.J. Pollock