The Diamondbacks don’t need a miracle at first base. They just need competence.
That’s the big takeaway from a position that was a mess in 2026, when 10 different players saw time there and eight different men started games at first. More than half of those starts came from players who are no longer in the organization - Ildemaro Vargas, Pavin Smith, Carlos Santana and Luken Baker - and the production was brutal.
Arizona finished last in the majors at the spot with a .233/.282/.354 line and a .636 OPS, which was the worst mark in franchise history by 38 points. The only worse season at first base in recent memory was 2025.
So the question for Mike Hazen is simple: what does he do now?
A few of the in-house names are still around, and they all count as possible options for 2027. Tim Tawa made 45 starts there, Jose Fernandez 17, LuJames Groover nine and Tyler Locklear nine.
But the first three are not really first basemen by trade, and there’s a strong argument that using them there every day would waste what makes them useful. Tawa, for instance, also started at all three outfield spots and at third base.
That kind of versatility has value. He, and the others, can fill in at first when needed, but they do not look like ideal everyday answers.
Power is part of the concern, too.
Locklear is the one internal name that feels different. He posted an .802 OPS in the majors over 15 games, though the sample is tiny.
Health was the bigger issue. He played only 86 games across all levels this year after shoulder and elbow surgery last October following a collision at first base, then missed the first month of the season.
Later, a fractured thumb in September ended his year. Even so, he hit .871 OPS in 68 games for Reno, and he’s still only turning 26 later this month.
The caution flag is obvious, though: in his age-25 season, Pavin Smith played 145 MLB games.
There’s also a more unusual possibility in Nolan Arenado. He has spent his entire pro career at third base after being drafted by the Rockies in 2009, but as he moves into his late thirties, the ten-time Gold Glover appears open to shifting across the diamond. Hazen raised the idea last month and said the two sides have discussed it.
“We’ve talked about Nolan playing some first base, so that might be something we take a look at… I think [third base has] taken a toll on him physically a little bit. So we’re trying to be mindful of that.
It could help us, depending on what’s out there in the market for available players, by giving us more flexibility. It opens the door for us, externally, to consider different ways to improve the team.”
That kind of move would give Arizona more room to shop for either a third baseman or a first baseman, with Arenado able to cover the other spot. First base is the easier defensive assignment, and his glove should translate if the club decides to go that route.
Another internal wrinkle is Adrian Del Castillo. The Diamondbacks don’t seem to view him as a catcher right now, which is part of why his last start behind the plate came on July 4.
His final 13 appearances were all either as the designated hitter or off the bench. The numbers explain some of that, too: he threw out only 3 of 39 stolen-base attempts, and at least one of those came on a trick play.
Because he hits left-handed, he could also fit into a platoon setup with Locklear.
If Arizona looks outside the organization, the left-handed bat is the obvious target. The current internal possibilities - Locklear, Tawa and even Arenado - all hit from the right side.
Jake Bauers is the top name on the board, but after a breakout year and a qualifying offer, he could be expensive. His track record before 2026 was shaky enough that a long-term deal would carry risk, which might keep his market from getting too hot.
MLB Trade Rumors thinks he may simply take the qualifying offer and stay with the Brewers, though ESPN’s Paul Hembekides has Arizona signing him for three years and $54 million.
A less costly option would be Nathaniel Lowe. The 31-year-old put up an 111 OPS+ this season between Cincinnati and Cleveland, and he was especially effective against right-handed pitching with an .822 OPS. He also won a Gold Glove at first base in 2023 and finished as a finalist the next year.
If the Diamondbacks go the trade route instead of spending, Alec Burleson could make sense. He’s under team control for the next two seasons, owns a 121 OPS+ over the last three years and turns 28 later this month. Whether he’s even available may come down to how the Cardinals feel after finishing 77-85 this year.
Money is part of the equation, of course. The Diamondbacks are not expected to have a huge budget, and the uncertainty around the 2027 season could make them even more cautious.
First base is not the only problem, either. They still need starting pitching, and the bullpen has been thinned by free-agent departures such as Taylor Clarke, Jonathan Loaisiga and Kevin Ginkel.
Still, first base is the easiest place to find a real upgrade. The bar is low because the position was so bad.
Arizona does not need to chase a star. Just getting to average there could be worth two or three wins, and there are not many cheaper ways to buy that kind of improvement.
The best-case scenario is that Locklear takes the job and runs with it. That’s not impossible.
Christian Walker had barely 100 major-league plate appearances when he turned 28. But it’s far from guaranteed, and if the Diamondbacks lean too hard on that kind of hope - or on another failed stopgap like Carlos Santana - they could wind up back in the same place.
So while a blockbuster doesn’t feel likely, something meaningful probably does.
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