Nick Piecoro

azcentral sports

BOSTON – Sources say the Diamondbacks have looming contract decisions for two of their top executives, but Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa said he expects General Manager Dave Stewart and De Jon Watson, the club’s senior vice president of baseball operations, to return next season.

But La Russa also said he has not spoken with Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick or CEO Derrick Hall about them, adding, “I don’t even know my contract.”

“There has not been one conversation, not one, between Derrick and Ken, the three of us, having to do with front office contracts, not one, because what’s dominating us is the disappointing season and that’s where our concentration and energy are going,” La Russa said.

BOX SCORE:Red Sox 6, Diamondbacks 3

Sources say the Diamondbacks have until Aug. 31 to decide on 2017 options for Stewart and Watson, who were hired on the same day in September 2014, four months after La Russa joined the organization.

La Russa said he thinks he signed a three-year deal when he was hired, but he said he wasn’t certain if it began in 2014 or 2015. It doesn’t matter anyway, he says, because even if he has years remaining on his deal, if the club doesn’t want him back he won’t collect on the money he’s owed. He said he took the same approach during his final two decades as a manager.

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“If they like what I’m doing, then I’m here,” La Russa said. “If they don’t, then I’ll leave knowing that right now I’m not very happy with the job that I’m doing. So I’m determined to do better.

“All that is, it’s just a piece of paper. They can at any time tell me they don’t want me and they don’t owe me money for the future.”

As to whether he has any inclination of what Kendrick is thinking, La Russa said he doesn’t believe the owner’s focus is on the front office.

“Everything that’s communicated to me, most of the time through Derrick, is Ken is concerned about our ballclub and what are the decisions going forward,” La Russa said. “It’s about the personnel that are playing and pitching the game. That’s what we’re talking about. That’s what it should be.”

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Asked how he thinks his top executives have performed, La Russa said, “I think we have really effective people everywhere.”

“When you don’t have the deepest pockets,” he continued, “you better have the best scouting and development. We’re deeper. We’ve hired more coaches, more scouts, all that stuff. Compared to the average, we’re deeper. It’s how we’re going to get better information so we don’t have to spend money foolishly.”

Another opinion

Results of right-hander Rubby De La Rosa’s MRI are being examined by both team physician Dr. Gary Waslewski and renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews, who performed De La Rosa’s Tommy John surgery in 2011.

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Hale said he did not know Waslewski’s initial diagnosis of the tests.

“We’ll know more Monday,” Hale said.

Asked if another elbow surgery appears to be needed, Hale said, “I wouldn’t go there right now. Is it, back him off? Is it, give him two weeks and start him back up? Is it, give him the winter off?”

De La Rosa, who went on the disabled list in May and diagnosed with a sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament, told the club he felt more discomfort in his elbow after throwing four innings in a minor league rehab start last weekend.

Careful now

Hale said he spoke with second baseman Jean Segura about some of his recent baserunning mistakes, including on Friday night, when he was caught off third base after a fly out to center field.

Hale doesn’t mind Segura being aggressive, he just wants him to choose his spots more wisely.

“That’s two games now where he’s had opportunities to stay at third and Goldy is up with one out,” Hale said. “That’s a good situation always. He has to understand that. He’s an athletic guy that can do things that most of us can’t do. You don’t want him to just stop being aggressive.”

In the preceding series in New York, Segura was caught off third after teammate Michael Bourn was caught in a rundown between first and second base.

“It’s tough because when you see your teammate in a rundown and you just stand on the base, it’s like you’re giving up,” Segura said. “I know I have to be under control, but I’m the kind of player that’s always aggressive on the bases.”

Sunday’s game

Diamondbacks at Red Sox

When: 10:35 a.m.

Where: Fenway Park, Boston.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (11-3, 3.67) vs. Red Sox RHP Rick Porcello (15-3, 3.40).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KSUN-AM (1400).

Greinke returned from the disabled list on Tuesday in New York, giving up three runs in six innings against the Mets. … Greinke has far better results on the road (2.14 ERA in eight starts) than at Chase Field (5.04 ERA in 10 starts). … Greinke has logged only 7 1/3 innings at Fenway Park in his career (one start, one relief appearance), giving up one run with five walks and three strikeouts. … Porcello has made three consecutive strong starts, posting a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings. … Porcello has faced the Diamondbacks twice in his career, most recently in 2014, when he gave up three runs in seven innings.

Coming up

Monday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (5-11, 4.57) vs. Mets RHP Bartolo Colon (10-6, 3.35).

Tuesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Braden Shipley (2-1, 2.96) vs. Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 2.75).

Wednesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (4-12, 5.58) vs. Mets RHP Logan Verrett (3-8, 5.36).

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or nick.piecoro@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.