The winter before the 2023 season for the Arizona Diamondbacks was built with hype, anticipation, and eagerness to see the future of the D-backs. The farm system was packed with talent, kids were getting called up and producing left and right.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!From pitchers to infielders, and especially outfielders, the future seemed bright. Yes, all of those things are true, young talented players being called up and making an impact.
The feeling around the ball club was filled with a winning culture. It seemed inevitable that the Diamondbacks would begin to win games.
The rebuild started in 2017 seemed to be panning out beautifully. Except the success that came on the shoulders of an off season trade just as much as it did the farm system.
Two Big League Ready Players
Fan favorite and one of the biggest bright spots of 2022 which allowed the hype to be fueled, Dalton Varsho. Varsho hit 27 home runs in his rookie season last year for the D-backs.
Out of all of the youth getting the opportunity on the big stage, he shined the brightest last season. In what seemed like a trade out of left field, he was sent to the Toronto Blue Jays.
In return Arizona got one of the best prospects in baseball in Gabriel Moreno and an out fielder with solid veteran presence, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
First reaction, from myself included, “what are they doing?”.
The front office understood that they have enough outfielders in the farm to supply the entire NL West with applicable talent. Instead of holding on to Varsho, they turned him into Moreno and Gurriel.
Two players who have proven thus far, they are ready for the bright lights. Gurriel was already a proven big leaguer on arrival and has only reach new heights since putting on the Diamondbacks jersey.
Moreno, however, he had tons of questions surrounding if he was as good as they say he is. He was the “big catch” in this trade afterall.
Diamondbacks Through 50 Games in 2023
Not only are the Diamondbacks winning consistently, it is in big part of what these two players bring to the club. Yes there is Corbin Carroll, Zac Gallen, Ketel Marte, and Christian Walker just to name a few players who are playing out of their mind this season.
Yet almost weekly you can not help but catch a highlight, or title, or stat line explaining how good these two players from Toronto are.
It’s either a walk off hit, a hitting streak, a bomb sent sizzling into the crowd, or a highlight throwing a batter out trying to steal second base. No, no, no, not on Moreno.
Gabriel Moreno through 125 at bats is hitting .304/.341/.400 with an OPS of .741. He has 19 RBI’s and 2 home runs just for fun.
Yet on the defensive side, he is the definition of a game changer. He has an overall WAR of 1.2.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is having his best season yet by far at the plate. Already this season he has ridden a 16 game hitting streak and hit a number of walk off hits.
He is hitting through 167 plate appearances, .317/.372/.557 with an OPS of .928. ELITE! He has hit 8 homers and has 27 RBI’s for the D-backs.
The Best Trade of the Decade
I know this is an extreme statement, yet it feels like Moreno and Gurriel are the exact two players this clubhouse needed to gel and reach their full potential.
We can talk about the bullpen on another date, these two guys can’t do it all on their own.
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Rowan Donaghey is a Sports and Betting insider, and breaking news reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on twitter via @RowanDonaghey
