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Trade deadline: NL West for sale, plus Dodgers, Giants, Diamondbacks wish list

By Beau Adams

TORONTO, ON - JULY 18: Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres reacts after a called strike against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 18, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JULY 18: Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres reacts after a called strike against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 18, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Jul 9, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 9, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

Buying the NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks are having themselves an impressive season. At 54-43 (.557), they are in second in the NL West and just two games behind the Dodgers for the division lead. They need to improve their pitching as they are sixth in the NL in homers allowed and runs given up. They are 25-of-42 in save opportunities as well. A starting pitcher and a closer are at the top of their needs list. They are solid across the board at the plate, but one positional upgrade could turn them into a powerhouse. That position is center field.

Alek Thomas is the current center fielder at hitting .230 with just five homers and five stolen bases. The Chicago Cubs’ Cody Bellinger is known to be available. The former MVP is hitting .314 with 12 homers and 12 stolen bases.

While the Cubs are on the line, Kyle Hendricks would be a valuable back-of-rotation starting pitcher. He is 33 with one club option year on his contract. He has a 3.57 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 10 starts this year. Trading Thomas, DH Dominic Canzon, and two top-30 prospects should be agreeable and outbid the Yankees.

They could go big and shoot for San Diego’s Juan Soto. Soto can play center very well and is hitting .262/.420/.905 with 17 homers. It would take quite a few prospects to move him to Arizona, but it would be a significant boost to the club. RHP Brandon Pfaad, 3B Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B Ivan Melendez and IF Blaze Alexander would be the price tag. Now, if the Diamondback could through in Dominic Canzon and 25-year-old starting pitcher Tommy Henry, they may be able to get Josh Hader or Blake Snell in the deal as well. This would be the biggest blockbuster trade of the decade so far and one we would talk about for years

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