The Arizona Diamondbacks made a bit of a surprising roster move on Friday afternoon, calling up infield prospect LuJames Groover from Triple-A Reno.The corresponding 26-man roster move, however, was to option infielder Jose Fernandez, who's been up with the big league club since nearly the very beginning of the 2026 season. Fernandez was extremely productive in his first stretch, but has seen his playing time begin to dwindle of late, with a bit of a logjam along Arizona's infield. Much to the dismay of some fans, Fernandez was not receiving everyday playing time. Later Friday, manager Torey Lovullo spoke to Arizona Sports 98.7's Burns & Gambo Show, and explained why the Diamondbacks sent Fernandez out, and back to Triple-A.Why Diamondbacks sent Fernandez back to AAAMay 29, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jose Fernandez (11) celebrates after hitting a RBI single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn ImagesThe truth is, Fernandez has been struggling at the plate. After hitting two home runs in his historic MLB debut, the 22-year-old rookie has seen his OPS fall down to .641, with 40 strikeouts against just seven walks on the year. Here's what Lovullo had to say about the move: "Nothing against Jose Fernandez, 22 years old, mostly Double-A at-bats on down," Lovullo said. "He's still got to just find his foundation. He's got to find some footing as to what it's going to take for him to be a successful major league player. "He's been okay. He's holding his own. But he's not a hold-your-own type of guy. This is a guy that has a really good chance to be an impact player for a long time at this level for the Arizona Diamondbacks. So to go and get some Triple-A at-bats, get some footing.""There are some pitch deficits in there. He's vulnerable to certain pitches. We all know what they are. He's got to figure out that. And when he does, he's going to be a very good player. So for right now, get him down there, get some footing, and give these at-bats to [Groover]. It made a lot of sense to all of us."The other factor here is the fact that Fernandez has only played in one Triple-A game in his minor league career. His call-up to the majors was, in essence, a call-up straight from Double-A. There's certainly major league potential in Fernandez, but he's been mostly a below-average major league bat since his hot start. There's nothing wrong with that, considering his age. Fernandez has already made more of an impact than most 22-year-old would by this point in their career. It will likely benefit him to get everyday reps in an offense-heavy Triple-A environment. In the meantime, Groover will get a chance to show what he can do. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow