The Diamondbacks don’t need a reminder that the rotation has been a problem. They need help, and they need it in a hurry.
Arizona has not been fully committed to buying at the deadline, but the lack of stability on the mound has been hard to ignore. Injuries and uneven performances have kept the club from putting together the kind of extended run it needs, and if the D-backs want to stay in the National League playoff race, adding a proven starter has to be near the top of the list.
One name that has surfaced as a possible fit is Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Peralta has become one of the more likely starters to move before the deadline, even after a rocky first half. Teams still believe he can matter in October, and the Mets would have little reason to hang onto him if they drift out of contention.
The appeal for Arizona is obvious. Peralta is 30, in the final year of his contract, and making $8 million this season. That makes him a relatively affordable way to upgrade a rotation that has been searching for consistency.
He also brings the kind of profile the Diamondbacks are looking for. Peralta can miss bats, work into games, and give a team a chance to settle in behind him. His strikeout rate has dipped a bit, but he’s still finding success with fastball command at the top of the strike zone and a changeup that helps him get by without leaning only on velocity.
The numbers this season aren’t sparkling. Peralta has a 4.81 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Those marks sit above his career norms, but he’s still been giving the Mets competitive outings and keeping them in games.
That matters for Arizona, because the D-backs have had too many starters who haven’t been able to deliver steady innings. Ryne Nelson is set to miss significant time, and Corbin Burnes’ return has been pushed back until September, which has only increased the pressure on the bullpen.
Peralta would give Arizona a dependable arm with postseason experience and the kind of stuff that can hold up against better competition. If the front office is ready to push chips in and chase October, he looks like one of the clearest ways to attack the team’s biggest weakness.
In Other News...
Jake McCarthy Is Becoming Arizonas Latest Outfield What If
Jake McCarthys name is back in the conversation around Arizonas outfield pipeline, only now it comes with the kind of postscript the Diamondbacks have seen too often. Drafted by the club in 2018 and up in the majors by 2021, McCarthy was one of the young homegrown pieces supposed to help define the next wave in the desert. Instead, his path has taken him elsewhere, and the early returns have made it harder for Arizona to ignore what might have been.
His first half has been strong enough to turn heads, capped by a July 3 performance that looked more like a highlight reel than a box score. The larger sting for the Diamondbacks is that McCarthy is not the only outfielder from that same developmental track whose future has shifted this season, which only adds to the feeling that Arizona may be watching another what-if unfold in real time. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Suddenly Hold A Draft Advantage That Could Change Everything
The Diamondbacks head into the upcoming MLB Draft with a rare kind of flexibility, sitting on multiple premium selections that give them a chance to shape the top of the class in more than one way. With the 15th, 31st and 53rd picks, Arizona can attack the board from several angles while sticking to the organizations usual preference for the best player available.
That approach still leaves room for a familiar type of target, too, since the club continues to value athletic, up-the-middle players and does not put much stock in height when weighing talent. The recently held Draft Combine at Chase Field gave the Diamondbacks another chance to see players up close, both on the field and in a big-league setting, as they sort through a class that could give them real leverage on draft day. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Suddenly Face A Familiar Ohtani Problem Before Friday
The Diamondbacks are back in the middle of a Shohei Ohtani watch, which has become a familiar pregame subplot whenever Arizona lines up against the Dodgers. Los Angeles is still planning for Ohtani to take his next scheduled mound turn Friday, even after he has been managing a minor biceps issue along with knee soreness and blisters, and that alone makes this series feel a little different before the first pitch is even thrown.
Dave Roberts has already said the Dodgers are willing to adjust if Ohtani does not feel right, and the All-Star break adds another layer to the uncertainty around how much they want to push him right now. He is not expected to pitch in the All-Star Game, but he should still be in the lineup as the starting designated hitter, which keeps him in the spotlight even if Arizona mostly cares about whether it has to deal with him on the mound again by Friday. [Read more 🡒]