The D-Backs released Nick Ahmed over the weekend, tweets Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic. He’s officially a free agent.
There was never any doubt the veteran shortstop would hit the open market after Arizona designated him for assignment last Wednesday. Players in DFA limbo have to go on waivers after the trade deadline. Ahmed has well more than the five years of major league service necessary to decline a minor league assignment while retaining his entire salary. With around $1.4MM in remaining guarantees on his $10MM salary at the time of the DFA, no other club was going to put in a claim.
The 33-year-old infielder becomes a free agent for the first time in his career. He’d signed a $32.5MM extension with the D-Backs going into the 2020 campaign, which would’ve been his platform year. The defensive stalwart hit .230/.285/.351 in 954 plate appearances over the course of that deal. That includes a .212/.257/.303 slash this season.
Ahmed has been healthy this season after losing most of last year to shoulder surgery. He’s still a quality defensive shortstop. The D-Backs turned to 21-year-old top prospect Jordan Lawlar to try to add some spark to the lineup, though, pushing Ahmed off the roster a few weeks before his contract was set to expire.
The 10-year veteran will surely at least find minor league interest based on the strength of his glove — although that might not materialize until the winter. Now that the calendar has turned to September, he’d be ineligible for postseason play elsewhere. As a result, he could elect to sit out the final few weeks of this season and look for a new landing spot during the upcoming offseason.
Not a good look for Arizona to release their nominee for the Roberto Clemente award.
That is weird. But, hey, the D-Backs are trying to make the playoffs, so sentiment has to take a back seat to that. Baseball can be cruel.
On another team with more firepower than the D-Backs, an excellent defensive SS like Ahmed could easily play almost every day while batting ninth.
He’ll be in someone’s ST camp next February. Wish him all the best. Solid defender and solid citizen.
Best of luck to a fellow Husky!
Hes not that fat
The Rays should go get him. They have no SS offense since the Franco problem. As poor as he’s been offensively, he’s an upgrade.
Wouldn’t they want to play someone who’s gonna be there in October?
His offensive numbers will bump up a little next year another year removed from shoulder surgery. Not saying he will go back to 19 homers but he will make some team a good utility player.
His 19 HRs came in 2019 with the juiced ball. I’d say 15 seems to b more of his ceiling. With how weak 2B market is, he’d definitely b a good utility MI to have around.
Watching every game the last 10 years…. All I can say is he that he is fantastic person, great Father, Husband, and Christian. Though when it came to baseball I didn’t like him being our short stop. I’m hoping that Lawlar will glide in at short and Perdomo will be the guy who fills in at any IF position where someone needs an off day. Gotta get a 3Rd or wait until Melendez comes up maybe next season.
Always has to be someone who brings religion or government into a baseball site. Do you comment when players are good Buddhists, Hindus, Shintoism, Muslims or agnostics? Or are you trying to proselytize?
I say respectfully that saying someone is a Christian isn’t proselytizing.
Perhaps you should reread the post He actually said what he valued in the individual but that he didn’t like him as his team’s shortstop.
Athletes have a platform and are individuals. As fans we are free to like or dislike or discuss what an athlete discusses. I like Nick as a person and wish him well. I get the business side of things though
SamuraiJack
That’s fair.
But I don’t need to read that Wade Boggs or Chipper Jones are “bad Christians”. Or that Ted Williams is an atheist.
I want to know how quick he can move to the left and scoop up a grounder with a quick pivot to second. And barrel a changeup. And the consensus is that he is great at the former and poor at the latter.
Definitely not trying to convert anyone to being Christian on this site. I am a proud Christian, and my comment was not to slander, hate, or be rude towards other religions. Simply to compliment what I liked in him as a fan. Though, a wiseman once said. “A man who didn’t upset anyone, never spoke”.
If you do have an issue with what I said MLBTR does allow you to flag it if you do not think it’s appropriate.
Have a great day.
Zack
People have said far worse than you and I usually don’t flag them. Even the misogynistic and homophobic posts of which there are sadly too many.
Just keep in mind that maybe 25% of the world is Christian 20% Hindu and 20% Muslim, we want to avoid baseball comments that pit red states versus blue states, one relgion versus another or none at all.
I believe you when you say that you’re not trying to convert anyone, but I think you can be proud to have the same faith as a player and not need to share that with everyone else. But my take is not worth anymore than yours. Lately it is been bloggers inserting politics more than bloggers inserting religion. It is all about subtle nuance. At least in my belief system, God does not favor one sports team over another and does not micro-manage balls and strikes.
Just read your email and if it had been a proud Muslim or a proud Wiccan (spelling?), would you have have thought cool someone sharing their thoughts.
I really wouldn’t have cared and I would have looked passed it. But you could also share the same argument with the players like Nick who outwardly share his emotions and his thoughts on these subjects. Kershaw himself is outward with it because there is a freedom of speech.
I’m very happy to discuss and I do appreciate your response towards this. I think that there are a lot of things that I do not like to see but as a young 26 year old adult I’ve learned to be upset and angry at the world if I focus on what I don’t like about it. Once I started focusing on what I like I began to be happier!
Have a great day!
I think if everyone who brought up politics or religion on this site was friendly about it like you it would be less divisive. Thanks for trading thoughts without piling on!