At 32-32 and just 2 1/2 games out of wild-card position in the National League, the Diamondbacks are approaching the July 31 trade deadline with a buyers’ mindset, according to general manager Mike Hazen (via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic).
Hazen suggested Arizona’s main priority is upgrading its starting staff, saying, “We’re looking at any way we can to continue to improve and help both our depth and our rotation in general.”
Injuries to Luke Weaver and Taijuan Walker, not to mention Zack Godley’s demotion to the bullpen, have left Arizona’s rotation without any clear answers after Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray and Merrill Kelly. The club’s on the lookout for help as a result, and it tried to swing a deal with the Mariners for right-hander Mike Leake earlier this week. Now, though, those talks “appear to have gone dormant,” Piecoro writes.
Assuming a trade for Leake or another starter doesn’t come together imminently, the D-backs seem inclined to continue with Jon Duplantier and Taylor Clarke at the back of their rotation. Duplantier, MLB.com’s 62nd-ranked prospect, has turned in 10 innings of nine-hit, five-earned run ball and notched 11 strikeouts against three walks in two starts since the Diamondbacks recalled him from Triple-A Reno. Clarke hasn’t been that successful as a starter this year, having compiled a 5.12 ERA/4.55 FIP with 6.05 K/9 against 3.26 BB/9 in 19 1/3 frames.
On the position player side, Arizona has been without corner infielder Jake Lamb for almost the entire season. The 28-year-old went to the injured list with a quad strain April 5, but he’ll begin a rehab assignment Saturday at the Triple-A level, Piecoro reports. A third baseman from 2014-17, Lamb entered this season as the D-backs’ primary first baseman in the wake of Paul Goldschmidt’s exit via trade. The lefty-swinging Lamb’s injury opened the door for the righty-hitting Christian Walker, who excelled in April but has come back to Earth since. Those two seem likely to form a platoon upon Lamb’s return.
I’m sure the Diamondbacks could make a trade with the Brewers. I’m would think players like Anderson, Wilkerson, Derby, Thames, or Aguilar could be available to Arizona to fill their starting pitcher and first base openings
Brewers don’t have starters to give.
They can part with Chase Anderson
I’m sure Wilkerson, Derby and Anderson are more then definitely be available plus those three might actually flourish there. Get a bunch of A ball players for them
Thank you Johnny Superscout
of course they’d be available, they suck. why would the d’backs do that??
Why would the DBacks be interested in either Aguilar or Thames? They have Walker and Cron with Lamb on the way back from the IL, which is too many to have at 1B anyway; and why Anderson? Granted that it was a different FO, but the DBacks were the ones that traded him to the Brewers to begin with. Realistically, I see none of those players as realistic targets.
I’m shocked the Mariners wouldn’t trade Leake for whatever they could get at this point
D backs are buyers? Impossible all I heard after they traded Goldschmidt for a haul was how it was the worst trade ever and the D-Backs were tanking.
They pretty much were and still are despite their reported intentions to pick up little parts here and there to appease their fans and keep the turnstiles rolling a bit.
They started hot and faded
It actually wasn’t a bad trade… nice research.
-Luke Weaver was pitching like an ALL STAR prior to his injury.
-Carson Kelly is a solid defensive catcher that can actually hit… now how many of those can you find in the majors?
-and the Dbacks received an additional pick in the draft
-Oh yeah Goldschidt is a depreciating asset whose replacement on the Dbacks roster has better overral stats than Goldy
There you go I summed it all up for you so that you don’t have to do any more research.
The D-backs actually believing they are contenders when they’re clearly the 4th best team in their own division now and for the foreseeable future is absurd. They should be looking to trade Greinke and Ray in an effort to continue to build for the future
“Clearly the 4th best team in their own division”…
I wouldn’t say “clearly”…. do you actually watch the games?
The Padres and Rockies both have their own flaws… and Rockies probably have the most uncertain future being that they play at Coor’s Field. The only thing that is clear is that you barely know what you are talking about.
Dbacks are in a slump and the dodgers are hotter then their outstanding talent and depth, they’re so good they’re getting luckier as it goes. Muncey as a middle infielder come on.
The Dbacks may very well be the 4th best team in the NL West. But I don’t think it’s over. Two three and four may be a close battle to the end. That could be fun, a wild card would be great.
I know this is a blog about trades but why isn’t Mike Butcher on the hot seat? I don’t know anything about the guy and have no specific complaint other than someone has to be accountable for the dysfunction that surrounds the pitching staff.
Injuries may be somewhat unpredictable. Very talented guys are having trouble lasting in games, relievers are wildly inconsistent.
Where does the dominating metal attitude come from? They seem to be scared of throwing strikes always trying to get the batter to swing at garbage when they get ahead in the count.
This staff is in a shambles.
As I watch the Dbacks handle the Blue Jays with ease, course everybody does that with the results of the current rebuilding geniuses, the the Dbacks could be a wildcard when the Dodgers, Rockies, and Padres are beset with injuries, call ups, and the fact they are playing way over their heads.
Reno is not an easy place to pitch. Being in Arizona might be a cakewalk compared to Reno and the PCL.
On a side not the Toronto Blue Jays bats are pitiful.
Taylor Clarke has actually had a couple brilliant starts this year for the Dbacks… surprised that was nowhere to be found in the article… good job whoever wrote this article!
His ERA in Reno is a bit deceptive because of ONE bad start….