Corbin Carroll makes his spring training debut using an axe-handle bat to protect his injured hand while adjusting.

Corbin Carroll made his Cactus League debut today at Salt River Fields, taking three plate appearances against the Athletics. As the designated hitter batting leadoff, he grounded out to second in the first inning, flew out to left field in the third, and struck out swinging in the fifth.

"It felt okay," Carroll said, "Certainly not perfect, but manageable. I'm just trying to work through it and make sure I'm ready to play."

On February 10, Carroll fractured the hook of his hamate bone in his right hand during a live batting practice swing. He underwent surgery the next day to remove the bone fragment and returned to camp the following day for throwing and strength training. His groundout to second on Wednesday was a solid contact, with Statcast measuring an exit velocity of 113.6 mph.

When asked if the injury affected his swing mechanics, Carroll said, "I don't know, maybe. But when you're playing, you use what you have, and I feel like I have enough right now."

Carroll has adjusted his bat, temporarily switching to an axe-handle model to reduce discomfort. "I don't know how long it will last, but it definitely feels less painful," Carroll said about the new grip. "So I'll use it for now."

Clearly, Carroll still experiences physical discomfort, but as he did last year when playing through a left wrist injury, he chooses to ignore the pain and avoids discussing it. "I really don't want to talk about how it feels," Carroll said. "It's just the reality; there's no need to dwell on it. Just do what you can. The most important thing is to regain game rhythm through hitting, ensure timing is back to normal, start forming game plans, and make sure everything is solid."

To achieve this, Carroll may take additional plate appearances in simulated games on the back fields, starting each inning on first base to get more hitting opportunities than in official spring training games. Regarding defense, at least for his first few appearances this season, he will serve as the designated hitter.