The Diamondbacks’ roster churn has been relentless, and Lourdes Gurriel is the latest name to hit the wire. Arizona designated him for assignment yesterday, adding another entry to a list that already includes 15 players who appeared for the club at the MLB level this year.
That number is bigger than it first looked. As boilerbobco pointed out, seven of those players came from the Opening Day roster, but there were four more who logged big-league time for Arizona before moving on. Taken together, the turnover tells the story of a season that has seen the D-backs cycle through options, injuries, and replacements at a steady clip.
A few of those ex-D-backs have already found new homes. Paul Sewald landed with the Blue Jays and has been excellent in middle relief, giving up one run on five hits and three walks over 10.1 innings, with seven strikeouts in 12 games.
Philip Abner was claimed by the Giants on August 19, later reached the active roster, and has thrown three innings with an unearned run allowed on a hit and a walk, plus one strikeout. Jorge Barrosa was picked up by Houston on September 6 and has gone 1-for-4 with a double after getting called up last week.
Others have had more modest stops. Alek Thomas was dealt to the Dodgers for 17-year-old outfielder Jose Requena, hit .211/.250/.263 in seven games for Los Angeles, then was designated for assignment on September 5, cleared waivers, and was sent to Triple-A.
Joe Ross signed with the Rangers after his release on May 18, made five relief appearances in June with a 4.50 ERA over eight innings, then was released on July 1 and re-signed two days later. Taylor Rashi threw 3.2 innings for Arizona before the Twins bought him on June 8, and the A’s later claimed him on waivers on August 9; he made one appearance for Oakland on August 20 and covered two innings.
Some players haven’t resurfaced in the majors at all. Carlos Santana was released on June 26, signed by Atlanta two days later, and then released by the Braves on August 17 after 27 games in Triple-A.
Luken Baker appeared three times for Arizona before being released on June 15 and signing with the Kansas City Monarchs of the indie ball American Association on June 30. Max Kepler was released on September 8 and is currently unemployed.
Zack Littell, released on August 26 just 16 days after signing with the Diamondbacks as a free agent, remains a free agent. Lourdes Gurriel is likely headed that same direction after clearing waivers.
A couple of the moves were more of a reset than an ending. Pavin Smith cleared waivers and went to Triple-A, then was added back to the 40-man roster Saturday in place of Adrian Del Castillo.
He has one plate appearance since then and drove in a run with a single. Aramis Garcia has already been DFA’d twice this year, on May 1 and June 12, and cleared waivers both times before returning to Triple-A Reno.
There’s also been some movement on the pitching side beyond the headline names. Andrew Hoffmann was claimed off waivers by the Phillies on August 20 while on the MiLB injured list, but he has resumed pitching and has made two A-ball appearances and one in Triple-A, all scoreless. Yilber Diaz, after one rough outing for Arizona in which he allowed seven earned runs in two outs, was claimed off waivers by the Tigers on June 26 and is now on their active roster with a 6.75 ERA across 5.1 innings.
And then there’s the roster note that kicked this all off: the D-backs’ active roster remains at 28, and the 40-man roster is now at 40.
On the field, Arizona’s postseason odds have taken a hit. After Friday’s win, Fangraphs had them at 48.8 percent.
Following the weekend losses, that number has dropped to 26.6 percent, their lowest since July 19. There isn’t a game next Monday, and neither the NL Wild-Card nor Division Series is scheduled that day, so the next possible Monday recap would be Game #2 of the NLCS.
Whether that happens is the bigger question now, though there may still be more cider-fueled Friday recaps ahead.
In Other News...
Gabriel Moreno Is Forcing A Huge Diamondbacks Decision
Gabriel Moreno has turned this season into the kind that forces a front office to think beyond the present. The Diamondbacks catcher is putting together the best year of his MLB career, with multiple personal highs, and that kind of performance has changed the conversation around his place in Arizonas long-term plans. What looked like a solid piece of the roster has started to resemble something much more important: a core player who could anchor the lineup and the defense for years.
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 🡒]
Diamondbacks Finally Added A Needed Bat For A Playoff Push
With 11 games left and a 2.5-game gap to the National League Wild Card line, Arizona is taking one more swing at tightening up a roster that still has a path into October. The Diamondbacks claimed outfielder Jesus Sanchez off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, adding a left-handed bat with a reputation for handling right-handed pitching and giving the club another option as it tries to squeeze out every edge in the final stretch.
Sanchez is expected to slot in as a replacement for a right-handed outfielder, which gives Arizona a clearer balance in a lineup that can always use more impact against certain matchups. It is the kind of late-season move teams make when the margin for error has all but disappeared, and for the Diamondbacks, it leaves the focus on how quickly he can fit in as the pressure around the wild-card race keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Take Another Risk On A Bat They Desperately Need
The Diamondbacks dipped into the waiver wire for another left-handed bat, claiming outfielder Jess Snchez after Toronto designated him for assignment. Arizonas offense has been searching for a late-season spark against right-handed pitching, and Snchez gives the club a look at a player with the kind of power profile that can change a game in a hurry, even if the fit comes with some roster complications.
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 🡒]