Goldschmidt went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Cardinals.

EDGE Analysis

Thanks to strong performances from its pitching staff and more unheralded players in the lineup, Arizona has raced off to a 7-2 start to the season despite getting very little from Goldschmidt, a five-time All-Star. Sunday's hitless showing dropped Goldschmidt's season average to .100, with the first baseman's contact woes fueling his demise. Goldschmidt has struck out in 26.8 percent of his plate appearances this season, nearly five points above his career rate.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said prior to Wednesday's 3-0 win over the Dodgers that Goldschmidt will receive occasional rest days in 2018, Jack Magruder of MLB.com reports. Specifically, Lovullo said he's targeting a games total "in the mid-150s" for Goldschmidt if the first baseman stays healthy for the full season.

EDGE Analysis

Lovullo's pronouncement shouldn't alter Goldschmidt's fantasy outlook, as the slugger has played between 155 and 159 games the last three seasons, with a handful of his seven absences in 2017 due to a September elbow injury. The Diamondbacks' current schedule calls for the team to play no more than six consecutive games until the beginning of May, so it seems unlikely that Goldschmidt will be rested any time in the near future, especially with two of the team's top power bats (Steven Souza and Jake Lamb) on the disabled list. After an 0-for-3 showing Wednesday, Goldschmidt is batting just .059 with only one extra-base hit through six contests, though he has displayed a keen eye at the plate with a 9:6 BB:K.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-4 with a double, three walks and two runs Monday in the Diamondbacks' 8-7 win over the Dodgers in 15 innings.

EDGE Analysis

It's already the second three-walk game for Goldschmidt this season, boosting his on-base percentage to a lofty .450. Unfortunately for owners in traditional 5x5 formats, the double Goldschmidt notched was his first hit of the season, limiting him to just a .083 average thus far. There's little reason to think that Goldschmidt will be in store for a major downturn from the .297 mark he posted in the category a season ago, but his 1-for-12 start to the campaign is undoubtedly frustrating for those who invested a first-round pick into the 30-year-old.

Goldschmidt went 0-for-2 with three walks and a run in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Rockies.

EDGE Analysis

Goldschmidt's season debut wasn't an especially helpful one for fantasy owners outside of leagues that count on-base percentage, but the three walks at least suggest the first baseman is seeing the ball well coming out of spring training. Though the installation of a humidor at Chase Field this season could inhibit Goldschmidt's power output to some extent, the 30-year-old is still expected to finish among the top fantasy producers at his position thanks to his above-average contributions across all five major fantasy categories.

Goldschmidt was struck in the helmet by a pitch during a minor-league game Sunday against the Rockies, but he was uninjured and remained in the contest for two more plate appearances, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The hit by pitch may have caused some anxious moments for the Diamondbacks, but the fact Goldschmidt remained in the contest suggests that he'll be fine for Opening Day. Goldschmidt concluded spring training with a .275/.362/.787 slash line and homered twice in 40 at-bats during Cactus League action.

Goldschmidt went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in Friday's 4-1 victory over the Dodgers in Cactus League play.

EDGE Analysis

While spring numbers should be taken with a grain of salt for proven commodities like Goldschmidt, his .433 on-base percentage through 11 exhibitions certainly hasn't made fantasy owners regretting their early-round investment in the first baseman. With the humidor in effect at Chase Field in 2018, it's generally expected that Goldschmidt will sacrifice a few home runs from the career-high-tying 36 he smacked a season ago, but he still profiles as an elite commodity at his position even in the most pessimistic projection systems.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Goldschmidt could receive more days off in 2018, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It should be noted that previous managers have said the same thing about Goldschmidt, but he's still appeared in more than 145 games in six of the last seven years -- the only time he failed to eclipse that total was in 2014, when a broken hand forced him to miss the final two months of the season. Even if Lovullo follows through, this shouldn't have too much of an impact on Goldschmidt from a fantasy perspective, as he still figures to see the lion's share of starts at first base this season.

The Diamondbacks confirmed that they will employ a humidor at Chase Field in 2018, general manager Mike Hazen told the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro.

EDGE Analysis

This is expected to have a significant drag on power in Chase Field. Goldschmidt will obviously be affected by this change, though clearly not the only one. We will knock a handful of homers from his and other Diamondbacks in our projections.

Goldschmidt went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run Wednesday in the Diamondbacks' 11-8 win over the Rockies in the National League wild-card game.

EDGE Analysis

Goldschmidt vaulted the Diamondbacks to an early lead with a long ball in his first at-bat of the game in the bottom of the first inning, giving him just his third home run in the team's last 19 games. The first baseman closed September with a whimper, but the Diamondbacks will need the MVP candidate to be at his best beginning Friday, when his team will face Cy Young contender Clayton Kershaw as it kicks off its divisional series with the Dodgers.

Goldschmidt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Giants.

EDGE Analysis

The Diamondbacks clinched home field for the NL wild-card game with Sunday's walkoff win, so Goldschmidt will get a well deserved breather Monday. In his place, Christian Walker will start at first base and bat cleanup.