The Diamondbacks have moved quickly to patch their pitching depth, agreeing to a deal with right-hander Zack Littell just two days after Washington released him from a one-year, $7MM contract.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported the signing, and the financial split from Littell’s Nationals deal is a key part of the story. Washington is still on the hook for nearly all of the money left on that contract, aside from the prorated MLB minimum salary Arizona will cover. Littell’s $7MM guarantee included a $3MM base salary and a $4MM buyout tied to a $12MM mutual option for 2027.
For Arizona, the appeal is less about splash and more about survival. The 30-year-old has logged 112 1/3 innings this season, posting a 4.97 ERA with a 7.3% walk rate and a 14.6% strikeout rate while bouncing between starting and working as a bulk arm behind an opener. His overall numbers - and the Statcast indicators behind them - haven’t been especially pretty, though three ugly April outings helped drag his ERA down further.
That said, Littell has shown he can handle a workload. He carried a career 3.88 ERA into the 2026 season, and just last year he threw 186 2/3 innings for the Rays and Reds. The downside is familiar at this point: fewer strikeouts, more home runs, and a profile that has pushed him into more of a back-of-the-rotation lane.
That may still fit what the Diamondbacks need right now. Michael Soroka is expected to come off the 15-day injured list tomorrow, and Littell gives Arizona another arm to help bridge the gap while injured starters work back. He could slot behind Eduardo Rodriguez, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, and Soroka, with rookie Mitch Bratt likely moving to the bullpen.
There’s also a path where Arizona uses Bratt and Littell together in a piggyback setup, similar to how the Nationals used openers to protect Littell from facing lineups stacked with tough left-handed hitters.
Piecoro also noted that the Diamondbacks had bigger ambitions before the deadline. A proposed deal that would have sent Clay Holmes to Arizona fell apart when the Mets pulled out, leaving the club without the pitching upgrade it had targeted. Arizona has since added Littell and, on a minors deal, Dennis Santana as it tries to build out the staff for the playoff push.
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