Zach Buchanan of The Athletic recently took an interesting look at the Diamondbacks’ recently concluded experience with big-money starter Zack Greinke. While you’ll want to read the entire piece (subscription link), a few comments from team president Derrick Hall are worth highlighting here in particular. “If you’re going to make that kind of commitment, you have to be sure that it’s going to push you over the top,” said Hall of the Greinke signing. “That was clearly a lesson learned.” Though the contract didn’t exactly sink the club — Greinke generally performed to his pay grade and the Snakes were able to get some value out of the tail end — it did make it difficult for the organization to put together a complete roster that was truly competitive and surely shaped the team’s decisionmaking when it came to retaining (or not) core talent. Hall did not rule out any major future splashes, but did suggest a somewhat different strategy is likelier going forward. The Arizona org will “probably prefer spreading and balancing out those salaries more evenly,” he says, thus “making sure you have that flexibility so that, when the time comes, if you want to add more significantly, you can.”
Diamondbacks Rumors
Diamondbacks Designate Blake Swihart, Select Josh Rojas
The Diamondbacks announced that they’ve designated utilityman Blake Swihart for assignment and selected infielder Joshua Rojas’ contract from Triple-A Reno.
The Swihart addition hasn’t worked out for the Diamondbacks, who acquired the former highly touted catcher from the Red Sox back in April. The 27-year-old didn’t get a great chance to establish himself as a backstop in Boston, and the same has been true in Arizona. Swihart hasn’t started a single game behind the plate as a member of the Diamondbacks, with whom he has batted a meager .136/.186/.273 in 70 plate appearances. Overall, the 2011 first-round pick is just a .243/.301/.355 hitter over 696 major league PA.
The 25-year-old Rojas is an Arizona native who’s coming up just under two weeks after he joined the team in its trade with Houston for right-handed star Zack Greinke. Rojas, who now ranks as the Diamondbacks’ 29th overall prospect at MLB.com, has slashed an outstanding .332/.418/.606 with 23 home runs and 33 steals (43 attempts) in 479 PA at the Triple-A level this season.
Diamondbacks Release Greg Holland
The Diamondbacks have released right-hander Greg Holland, officially announcing the move today after designating the reliever for assignment earlier this week.
It isn’t surprising to see Holland clear DFA waivers without a claim, as a team interested in his services can now sign him for merely a prorated portion of the minimum salary for the remainder of the season. Between guaranteed salary and already-achieved bonuses, Holland has roughly $1.08MM still owed to him, the bulk of which (subtracting the minimum salary on any new contract) will be paid by the Diamondbacks.
Finances aside, it isn’t out of the question that another team will take a chance at adding Holland, given both his career track record and the fact that he was still posting good results only weeks ago. Holland had a 2.08 ERA over his first 26 innings for the D’Backs, and as recently as July 22, had a 3.00 ERA over 33 innings. Over his last five outings, however, the righty was crushed for a 23.63 ERA and six walks with just one strikeout in 2 2/3 innings of work.
Advanced metrics raised an eyebrow at Holland’s early-season success, however, and given that Holland’s velocity and swinging-strike rate both began to drop off as the season continued, it isn’t a surprise that his numbers took a big dip. Any club looking to sign Holland would be hoping for a repeat of his late-season run in 2018, when he signed with the Nationals (after struggling with the Cardinals and being released) and proceeded to post an 0.84 ERA over 21 1/3 frames for Washington. Speculatively, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Nats themselves perhaps check in on Holland again, given that the Nationals are still looking for bullpen reinforcements.
D'Backs Should Have More Financial "Freedom" After Greinke Trade
- Now that the Diamondbacks have dealt Zack Greinke, GM Mike Hazen estimates the team could have around $20MM in extra funds in both 2020 and 2021. “I’m assuming there’s going to be some more freedom to explore some things we haven’t explored in the past,” Hazen told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, though specifics aren’t yet known about what the club’s payroll capacity will be without Greinke on the books. 2018 and 2019 saw the D’Backs post the two highest Opening Day payrolls in club history, topping out at over $131.5MM at the start of the 2018 season. Now, the D’Backs have just under $68MM in guaranteed money for 2020, though that number will increase significantly due to arbitration raises. While it doesn’t seem likely that the Snakes will again approach $206.5MM on a future signing, Hazen didn’t feel the Greinke contract was a mistake given how well the ace righty pitched, crediting the much-maligned former D’Backs front office led by Tony La Russa and Dave Stewart. “They were right on Zack Greinke. We weren’t able to put it together the way we would have hoped while he was here,” Hazen said. “But they were right on him. It was a good deal.”
Blue Jays Claim Zack Godley
TODAY: The Jays officially added Godley to the active roster, optioning right-hander Brock Stewart to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
YESTERDAY: The Blue Jays have claimed righty Zack Godley off waivers from the Diamondbacks, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Toronto will owe Godley the remainder of his $609K salary.
It’s easy to see why the Jays took a shot on the 29-year-old Godley. In need of some additional arms to finish out the season, there’s no harm in giving him an opportunity. And the club could tender Godley a contract for 2020 if he manages to bounce back.
Make no mistake, though: it has been a rough campaign to this point for Godley. His strikeout rate has plummeted to just 6.9 K/9 after sitting at better than a batter-per-inning in the prior two seasons. Godley is giving up more homers than he had in those immediately preceding campaigns as well. The result: a 6.39 ERA over 76 innings.
A mid-season move to a multi-inning relief role did help, as Godley’s velocity turned up a bit. He held opposing hitters to a .218/.297/.414 batting line and posted an improved 28:13 K/BB ratio. But he was also tagged for seven long balls and a 4.62 ERA in his 37 relief frames.
Godley is just two years removed from an excellent 2017 campaign and also posted reasonably promising peripherals last year. But he’ll have to figure some things out if he’s to get back on an upward trajectory. Rediscovering some of the lost velo would help. He’s generating swinging-strikes at a significantly lower rate than he did in his ’17 effort (10.1% vs. 13.3%), with the difference residing almost entirely in the fact that hitters have made way more contact on pitches out of the zone. His groundball rate has sagged from 55.3% at its peak to to just 43.0% this year.
Latest On Luke Weaver, Taijuan Walker
Right-hander Luke Weaver’s success over the first couple months of 2019 was among the most encouraging early season developments for the Diamondbacks. UCL and flexor pronator sprains cut Weaver down near the end of May, however, and he hasn’t taken a major league mound since. Finally, though, Weaver’s making “major” progress, as Richard Morin of the Arizona Republic reports. Weaver threw off flat ground Tuesday and is slated for a bullpen session Friday.
Manager Torey Lovullo called the latest development on Weaver “very good news.” The hope is that Weaver and fellow injured righty Taijuan Walker will be able to make it back to the Diamondbacks’ staff this season. Walker is approximately “10 days” behind Weaver’s program, per Lovullo. It’s been an injury-ruined couple years for the once-touted Walker, who missed almost all of last season on account of Tommy John surgery and then suffered a sprained shoulder capsule this past May. He hasn’t made a big league appearance since April 14, 2018.
If Weaver and Walker do factor back into the mix for Arizona this year, they’ll likely do so as relievers, Morin relays. There probably isn’t enough time for either to work their way back as starters in 2019. It’s fair to say their absences are among the reasons the Diamondbacks (57-57) are 2 1/2 games out of a National League wild-card spot instead of in playoff position right now. After all, the club has struggled for most of the season to fill out its staff with capable starters. Plus, at least on paper, losing Zack Greinke while gaining Mike Leake and Zac Gallen at the July-ending trade deadline should make matters that much more difficult.
Regardless of whether Weaver pitches again this season, Arizona likely believes it has a long-term building block on its hands in the soon-to-be 26-year-old. Acquired with now-breakout catcher Carson Kelly from the Cardinals in last winter’s Paul Goldschmidt blockbuster, Weaver has recorded a terrific 3.02 ERA/3.11 FIP with 9.82 K/9 and 2.02 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings this season. Weaver’s not on track to become eligible for arbitration until after next season or a free agent until the conclusion of the 2023 campaign. If healthy, he could help ease the pain of Greinke’s exit in the years ahead.
Diamondbacks Designate Greg Holland, Reinstate Blake Swihart
4:30pm: Arizona has announced Holland’s DFA and reinstated Blake Swihart from the 60-day injured list, thus filling his spot on the 25-man and 40-man rosters.
10:07am: The Diamondbacks will designate veteran reliever Greg Holland for assignment, according to Robert Murray of The Athletic (via Twitter). Holland cannot be traded out of DFA limbo but can be claimed by a rival organization.
It’s somewhat difficult, but not impossible, to imagine another club stepping into the shoes of the Holland contract. He’s due the remainder of a $3.25MM guarantee and is also in line to pick up some added bonuses. Having already finished 27 games over forty appearances, Holland is already owed an additional $650K by the Snakes. He can still earn another $100K upon throwing in his 45th and 50th games along with $200K apiece if he reaches 55 and 60. There are also additional potential earnings for further games finished — not that a contender would be likely to utilize Holland in the ninth inning.
If he clears waivers, the 33-year-old Holland will either be released or have the right to elect free agency by virtue of his service time. Regardless, the D-Backs would remain on the hook for all that’s still owed to Holland — except for a pro-rated portion of the league-minimum salary for any time the veteran spends pitching for another team.
Holland seemed to be humming along nicely through June, at which point he had secured a dozen saves and thrown 27 innings of 2.33 ERA ball. As we explained when the struggles began, there were plenty of warning signs of good old-fashioned regression but no particular indications that Holland would completely fall apart.
The situation has simply not improved since. Over his 8 2/3 frames of work since the calendar flipped to July, Holland has dished out eleven free passes to go with nine strikeouts. Opposing batters have plated eleven earned runs. And though he posted a run of five consecutive saves in the midst of that stretch, Holland was removed from the ninth after a pair of brutal late-July appearances against the Marlins.
Even as the results have suffered, Holland has seen his velocity embark upon a steady downturn — with a corresponding decline in the swings and misses against his four-seamer. That fact will surely weigh heavily in the minds of organization’s considering a move for the once-great closer, who has had some stretches of good work in recent years while struggling to maintain consistency.
D-Backs Announce Pitching Roster Moves
The Diamondbacks announced a series of pitching moves. Heading onto the roster are lefty Robby Scott and righty Kevin Ginkel. The latter had to be added to the 40-man roster.
Clearing the 40-man spot was accomplished by designating Zack Godley for assignment, as expected. To procure an additional active roster spot, righty Taylor Clarke was optioned down.
Ginkel, 25, heads up to the bigs for the first time after an impressive showing in the upper minors this year. In 35 1/3 total frames on the season, he carries a 1.78 ERA with an eye-popping 16.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. Ginkel has allowed only 19 base hits.
Diamondbacks To Designate Zack Godley For Assignment
The Diamondbacks have told right-hander Zack Godley that he has been designated for assignment, the Arizona Republic’s Richard Morin reports. MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert tweeted that such a move seemed imminent earlier today, as Godley was seen saying his goodbyes to teammates in the Arizona clubhouse.
The news ends a nightmare of a season for Godley, who posted a 6.39 ERA, 1.66 K/BB rate, and 6.9 K/9 over 76 innings for the D’Backs. He lost his rotation job at the end of April (minus a few spot starts the rest of the way) and couldn’t get on track coming out of the Snakes’ bullpen.
After posting solid results as a starter for the D’Backs in 2017-18, Godley looked like a promising mid-rotation arm before his numbers fell off virtually across the board from his performance in the previous two seasons. Godley’s strikeout fell markedly after he averaged better than a strikeout per inning in 2017-18, while his grounder rate, home run rate, swinging strike rate, and hard-contract rate all went in the wrong direction.
Since Godley was out of options, Arizona couldn’t send him to the minors and had no choice but to designate him and expose him to outright waivers. Despite his struggles, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a team make a claim on Godley, given how difficult it is to obtain pitching now that the trade deadline has passed. Godley isn’t even arbitration-eligible yet until this winter, so non-contenders are also likely to have interest in seeing if they can land a controllable arm that could be a potential bargain if he can get on track. While his career home-road splits are pretty even, Godley has pitched a bit better outside of Chase Field this year, so perhaps a change of scenery is required.
Post-Deadline Outrights: Flynn, De La Cruz, Guerra, Blazek
In the immediate aftermath of the trade deadline, a handful of clubs cleared 40-man roster space with a series of designations. Many of those players have since cleared waivers, and we’ll round up those minor moves here…
Latest Moves
- The Royals announced that southpaw Brian Flynn was outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers. Flynn has a 5.22 ERA over 29 1/3 innings for K.C. this season, a disappointing result for a reliever who posted solid numbers out of the Royals’ bullpen in both 2016 and 2018.
Earlier Today
- Cubs minor-league right-hander Oscar de la Cruz has cleared waivers. The 24 year-old has seen his once-lofty prospect status deteriorate due to a combination of injuries, command woes, and a suspension for a masking agent. He’ll remain with the club’s AA affiliate in the Southern League.
- Nationals right-handers Javy Guerra and Michael Blazek each cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Fresno. Because each veteran has previously been outrighted, they may elect free agency, but the shaky Washington bullpen could plausibly offer them the best opportunity to return to the big leagues in short order.
- Giants right-handed reliever Dan Winkler was outrighted. San Francisco acquired him as a salary offset in the Mark Melancon trade but never had any interest in letting him see the field amidst a disappointing 2019 season. Winkler can elect free agency because he has over three years of MLB service.
- Rockies left-handed relief arm Harrison Musgrave will remain on hand at Triple-A Albuquerque after clearing. The 27 year-old has had little success in 45 MLB games in Colorado over the past two seasons.
- Diamondbacks right-hander Joey Krehbiel will remain on-hand at Triple-A Reno. Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel named the 26 year-old reliever a prospect to watch thanks to a plus changeup preseason, but he’s had a nightmarish season in the Pacific Coast League.
- Veteran catcher Tim Federowicz has cleared. The backstop had been playing for the Rangers, but he may elect to catch on elsewhere on a minor-league deal.
- Phillies corner infielder Mitch Walding has also cleared waivers. He’ll remain in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he’s struggled to make contact in 2019.
- Eric Stamets, the Indians’ Opening Day shortstop, has cleared as well. The 27 year-old has put up anemic offensive numbers with Triple-A Columbus, where he’ll continue to try to right the ship, over the past two seasons.
