Segura to Play for the Arizona Diamondbacks

Jean Segura is diamond(back) in the rough…

The 25-year-old Dominican professional baseball shortstop and former National League All-Star was acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks in a five-player trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jean Segura

The Diamondbacks also acquired right-hander pitcher Tyler Wagner for righty Chase Anderson, infielder Aaron Hill, minor league shortstop Isan Diaz and cash.

Arizona went 79-83 last season then signed free agent ace Zack Greinke and traded for All-Star pitcher Shelby Miller.

“We felt there was a need to do” this deal, he said Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart.

The Diamondbacks ranked second among NL teams in scoring last year. They traded outfielder Ender Inciarte, who hit .303 with 21 steals, to the Atlanta Braves in the Miller deal.

Segura hit .257 with six homers, 50 RBIs and 25 steals last season. He was an All-Star in 2013 with Milwaukee after a big start to his first full season in the majors. He dipped after the break and then slumped the following year.

Segura was one of the players traded from the Los Angeles Angels to Milwaukee for Greinke in 2012.

Stewart said Segura was someone who could hit at the top of the Arizona lineup, depending on how he did.

Segura is a career .266 hitter with 96 steals since making his big league debut in 2012 with the Angels.

Nolasco Registers Win in His First Start with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Ricky Nolasco has made a major impression in his first game on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 30-year-old Latino-American baseball right-hander pitched seven strong innings in his debut with the Dodgers to lead his brand new team to a 6-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ryan Nolasco

Nolasco, acquired by the Dodgers from the Miami Marlins this weekend in exchange for a trio of pitching prospects, allowed four hits, one earned run and struck out five Tuesday night at Chase Field in Phoenix.

He was credited with the win, improving his record this season to 6-8.

The Dodgers’ hitters, meanwhile, gave their new starter plenty of run support, with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez leading the way by driving in three runs to increase his RBI tally for the season to 57.

Nolasco also helped his own cause by singling in the game’s first run in the top of the second inning.

Rookie sensation Yasiel Puig had a hit and two walks, while shortstop Hanley Ramirez went 0-for-4 as his career-best 19-game hitting streak was snapped.

Diamondbacks third baseman Martin Prado singled in second baseman Aaron Hill in the bottom of the 7th inning for Arizona’s only run.

Relievers J.P. Howell and Ronald Belisario pitched the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, for the Dodgers.

The win improved the Dodgers’ record for the season to 44-45, which leaves them just 2.5 games behind the NL West division-leading Diamondbacks with the second half of the season just starting.