Arizona Diamondbacks fans waiting for a loud, headline-grabbing move before the MLB trade deadline may be in for something quieter.
The club sits second in the National League Wild Card race at 57-52, a position that normally invites aggressive buying. Arizona has enough going on to justify adding help, but the latest reporting points to a front office that may define “buying” a lot differently than the fan base expects.
That was the message Wednesday from Arizona Sports insider John Gambadoro, who said the Snakes are unlikely to chase the kind of blockbuster addition many have in mind.
“Ok let’s cut to the chase. If you are expecting the Diamondbacks to be big buyers at the deadline and go get a bat, starting pitcher and closer you will be extremely disappointed. They will absolutely rely more on the quality players coming back from injury like Justin Martinez,…”
Rather than swinging for the biggest names available, Arizona appears poised to work within tighter financial limits and lean on reinforcements already on the way back. The idea is less splash, more balance - lower-cost additions that fit the roster, plus help from within.
That internal boost could be significant. Gambadoro pointed to Justin Martinez, Michael Soroka, Jordan Lawlar and Corbin Burnes as players expected to return. If that happens, the Diamondbacks could add multiple pieces without paying the price in prospects or major salary that usually comes with a deadline blockbuster.
Payroll matters here, too. Gambadoro reported that Arizona is close enough to the luxury tax that bringing in a high-priced player would likely mean moving money out somewhere else. That doesn’t shut the door on trades, but it does make the market much narrower.
So the Diamondbacks aren’t expected to stand still. They just may not shop the way fans imagined. The focus looks to be on complementary help, with the biggest additions coming from the injured list rather than the trade market.
If that plan works, Arizona can strengthen its postseason push without gutting the farm system or taking on the kind of contract that changes the rest of the season.
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Brandyn Garcia, Juan Morillo, Jonathan Loisiga and Kevin Ginkel are among the relievers who could end up handling save chances, while the club still has to wait on Justin Martinez to work his way back from injury. For a team trying to stay afloat in the race, the bigger question is whether this is a temporary patch or the shape of the bullpen for the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]