Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed on his two-run homer that was part of a five-run first inning on Tuesday night at Coors Field. Nick Piecoro, azcentral sports
DENVER – For 49 consecutive games, shortstop Nick Ahmed’s name was in the Diamondbacks’ starting lineup. With his team’s versatile roster, manager Torey Lovullo had other options. He just couldn’t bring himself to go to them.
Ahmed’s importance to the Diamondbacks has been evident for years, but mostly it has been tied to his defense. Even last year, as the offensive side of his game gained relevancy, it was a distant second to the value wrought by his glove.