Arizona Diamondbacks: Three free agents to target this offseason
The Arizona Diamondbacks hit a big roadblock in 2020. Here are three free agents they can sign to make 2021 a more enjoyable experience.
It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that 2020 could have been a pretty solid season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Unfortunately, their shortened season ended with a 25-35 record, 18 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and at the bottom of the National League West standings.
The addition of centerfielder Starling Marte resulted in the Diamondbacks trading him away to Miami at the deadline, and Arizona’s biggest free agent signing in Madison Bumgarner was a disaster in 2020.
The core group of this team with players like Zac Gallen, Nick Ahmed, Ketel Marte, and others is solid and the starting rotation as a whole can be pretty decent if Bumgarner can return healthy next season. There is a lot to work with, but is this offseason the right time for the Diamondbacks to be aggressive?
The Dodgers will continue to be the cream of the crop in the NL West and the San Diego Padres have set themselves up for a potential run over the next few years, but the Diamondbacks can be competitive with a few upgrades, especially with an expanded format here to likely stay.
So, how do the Arizona Diamondbacks improve their roster for 2021 and put themselves in a position to be competitive next season? Here are three free agents the team should target this winter.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have a void in centerfield.
Upgrading the lineup needs to be top priority for the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason. With Starling Marte now in Miami, there’s a void in centerfield that could be filled by Ketel Marte. But if you’re the Diamondbacks, you prefer to have Marte’s glove at second base next season to solidify the infield defense.
He may not be able to provide a huge boost to the offense, but Jackie Bradley Jr.would be a great sign for the Diamondbacks.
Bradley is a career .234 hitter with a wRC+ just below league-average at 93, but there’s plenty of pop in his bat (21 home runs in 2019) and the Gold Glove-worthy defense is reason enough to bring him aboard.
His 2020 sample at the plate isn’t symbolic of what type of hitter he is, but shows that there’s enough to remain about league-average across a full season. Bradley hit .283 with a .364 OBP and a 119 wRC+ in 55 games for the Boston Red Sox this year, a big improvement on his 2019 .225/.317/.421 slash line and 90 wRC+ which is more in line with his career numbers. But a smaller sample size and a .343 BABIP in 2020 hint at Bradley not repeating those numbers.
Arizona outfielders combined for zero Defensive Runs Saved and two Outs Above Average last season, both ranking in the middle of the pack among MLB teams. Jackie Bradley Jr.recorded five DRS and ranked second among all MLB outfielders with seven OAA last season with Boston.
A strong defense up the middle will go a long way in a division loaded with offensive talent.
Bolstering the bullpen needs to be at the top of the list for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
One quick look at the Arizona Diamondbacks depth chart and the bullpen names immediately stand out. Not because the Diamondbacks have an elite bullpen, but because unless you are a Dbacks fan, you likely haven’t heard of more than one pitcher in Arizona’s bullpen.
According to FanGraphs’ Roster Resource (as of November 7), names like Stefan Crichton, Kevin Ginkel, and Travis Bergen are who the Diamondbacks would have to rely on if the season started today. After dealing Andrew Chafin and Archie Bradley, upgrading the bullpen is at the top, or very close to the top, of Arizona’s needs for the offseason.
Liam Hendriks is projected to command a contract worth about $10 million per year as this year’s top available bullpen arm, while names like Brad Hand and Trevor Rosenthal may see something close to that.
The Diamondbacks may not be in play for any of the names at the very top of the list, but former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen could be a viable option.
Treinen was dominant back in 2018, striking out nearly 32% of hitters and going 9-2 with 38 saves and a 078 ERA with the Oakland A’s. But it’s been quite the slide since. Treinen was worth -0.3 fWAR in 2019 with Oakland, but rebounded a bit this season with the Dodgers, posting a 3.86 ERA and slashing his walk and home run rates in route to a 0.5 fWAR campaign across 27 games.
He isn’t the shutdown closer Arizona would like, but Treinen has a 97 mph fastball in his repertoire and was among the league leaders in terms of keeping the ball on the ground and producing weak contact. His familiarity with NL West lineups won’t hurt either.
More pitching never hurt anyone, especially Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have a rotation they can roll out on Opening Day and be somewhat happy with. The organization seems confident that Bumgarner can rebound and there are a few signs you can point to and say Luke Weaver improves as well.
Zac Gallen appears poised to be a very solid rotation piece for many years to come, while Merrill Kelly had his option picked up for 2021 and Caleb Smith is an intriguing arm who you can slot in fifth in the rotation and see what he can do for you. A lot has to click for this rotation to succeed, but there are plenty of other teams across the league who would be happy to switch arms with the Diamondbacks.
Bringing in a veteran arm wouldn’t hurt and provide a bit of insurance for Arizona. One name that may fit is Garrett Richards.
He isn’t the sexiest name on the market, but there are a few reasons to like Richards. MLBTradeRumors.com projects Richards receiving a two-year/$16 million deal and believes he will have his share of suitors this winter.
After missing almost all of 2019 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, Richards had a decent 2020 with the San Diego Padres. He finished the year with a 2-2 record, a 4.03 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 14 outings, but seemed to experience a bit of turmoil behind the scenes in San Diego.
He finished the year in San Diego’s bullpen and was largely used in low-leverage situations, for reasons unknown. He allowed just one run on three hits across five relief innings.
Armed with a high-spin fastball and curveball (both rank among the top spin rates in baseball) and slider that produced a near 40% whiff rate last year, Richards can be a back of the rotation arm for the Diamondbacks or serve as a long-man out of the bullpen, filling a few different roles with this team.
Kevin Cron makes a wise career choice. dark. Next
The Arizona Diamondbacks won’t be extremely aggressive this offseason, but they can improve and make the 2021 season more entertaining.