The Arizona Diamondbacks finally got the left-handed bat they were chasing, and now they have to hope the timing isn’t too late.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Arizona claimed Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jesus Sanchez off waivers Monday. The move should push one of the team’s right-handed outfielders to Triple-A, though the Diamondbacks have not said which player will be sent down.
Sanchez arrives with a line that looks useful, if not flashy. In 99 games with Toronto, he hit .260 with eight home runs, 35 RBIs and a .734 OPS.
More importantly for Arizona, he has long done his best work against right-handed pitching, carrying a .775 career OPS in those matchups. That is exactly the kind of split the Diamondbacks have been trying to improve as they try to balance out a roster that has leaned too heavily to the right side.
John Gambadoro reported that Sanchez is not yet with the club and would very likely replace either Tommy Troy or Ryan Waldschmidt. He also noted that Arizona had been talking about adding a bat off the waiver wire, but it simply took longer than expected.
The need is clear. Arizona is 2.5 games out of the final National League Wild Card spot after Monday’s win over the Miami Marlins, and there are only 11 games left in the regular season.
The Diamondbacks have already made moves to address the offense, including acquiring Lars Nootbaar at the deadline and recently bringing Pavin Smith back up to help against right-handed pitching. Even so, the lineup still needed another left-handed option.
That’s where Sanchez fits in. His numbers do not scream blockbuster addition, but his left-handed power gives Arizona another way to attack opposing right-handers and another bat that could matter in a hurry. With so little season left, there is not much time for him to ease in slowly.
The Diamondbacks do not need Sanchez to carry the offense. They need him to give them something extra - a few solid at-bats, a timely extra-base hit, maybe a spark in a lineup that has been searching for one. In a stretch this tight, even that can carry real weight.
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Bob Nightengale reported that Moreno could be headed toward a contract extension that might even top the $140 million deal Will Smith signed, a number that shows just how quickly the stakes have risen. Moreno is in his second year of arbitration and remains under club control through 2028, so the Diamondbacks have time, but not much incentive to let the situation drift. The question now is whether Arizona moves early to lock in one of its most valuable young players before the price climbs even higher. [Read more 🡒]
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Because Snchez is out of options, Arizona will have to clear room for him on the active roster right away. The catch is that he will not be eligible for postseason play with the Diamondbacks this year, which adds another layer to a decision that already carries some risk. For a team trying to patch a lineup need on the fly, it is the sort of move that could matter in September even if the bigger payoff may have to wait. [Read more 🡒]
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That churn has also meant plenty of familiar names have already come and gone this season, with several players now off the Diamondbacks roster after recent transactions. Some have already turned the page elsewhere, while others are left in the aftermath of repeated moves that say plenty about how aggressively Arizona is managing every spot, even as the questions around the long-term direction only seem to grow. [Read more 🡒]