The trade deadline is looming just a week away, and based on the Diamondbacks’ recent success, as they ascend to a handful of games above .500, placing them right in the heart of the National League Wild Card race, it appears they will be buyers for the 2nd straight year.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!So, if the Diamondbacks are buyers, who are some potential names that they could be trading away to bolster their current roster?
In a top 50 players who could be dealt list recently done by Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman at The Athletic, four different names from the Diamondbacks were ranked- Christian Walker (15th), Paul Sewald (22nd), Joc Pederson (32nd), and Jordan Montgomery (50th).
Walker at 15th is particularly interesting. At 33 years old, and during the final year of his current contract in Arizona, Walker has emerged as one of the best 1st basemen in the National League, at least in 2024. Putting up career-best numbers, Walker made a series bid for his first-ever All-Star game but fell victim to Pete Alonso sneaking in.
Nevertheless, Walker will likely be awarded his 3rd career Gold Glove and has been a staple in the Diamondbacks’ offense as one of their few power bats as he has already smashed 22 home runs. Britton and Gleeman wrote,
“Few players in the game have been as overlooked in the last few years as Christian Walker, who ranks fourth in WAR at first base dating to 2020. He brings power at the plate and a slick glove at first. He’s a guy who can help deepen the middle of most any order from the right side. Like more than half the National League, the Diamondbacks currently straddle the buy/sell line.”
They named the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, and Houston Astros as potential landing spots for Walker.
Moving on to Paul Sewald, the 34-year-old has been pratically unhittable if you did not count a three-game stretch in early July where he blew three-straight saves for the first time in his career. Besides those appearances, the Diamondbacks’ closer has allowed just one earned run across 22.1 innings. Sewald was acquried by the Diamondbacks from Seatle ahead of last year’s trade deadline. He quickly became the glue inside Arizona’s bullpen, playing a massive role in their World Series run. Just like Walker, Sewald will be a free agent after this season.
The Athletic team noted:
“Added to the Arizona bullpen last July, Paul Sewald was a stalwart in October for the Snakes. He’s been more pedestrian so far this season, with a lower strikeout rate and an issue keeping the ball in the yard. On the other hand, his WHIP still starts with a decimal point thanks to a slashed walk rate.”
Potential landing spots included the Orioles, Yankees, and Cubs.
Next up is Joc Pederson, who surprisingly actually has posted his highest WAR since 2019 with the Dodgers. Given Pederson’s postseason experience, as he has won the World Series twice and is an often October baseball visitor, Pederson acts as an attractive choice for any team that is in the race.
“Joc Pederson is running back his 2022 season, when he was an All-Star for San Francisco. You can’t expect to play him in the field much, and under no circumstances should he bat against a left-handed pitcher. But stick him in the right role, and he mashes.”
Lastly is Jordan Montgomery, who is having a completely opposite season compared to the previous three names. Currently on the 15-day IL with right knee inflammation, Montgomery has experienced the worst season of his career. While a couple of terrible starts have inflated his ERA, he has struggled immensely at home. As the Diamondbacks await Eduardo Rodriguez’s overdue first start of the season, expected in mid-August, the emergence of young names like Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson, and Yilber Diaz has provided some flexibility in their starting pitching depth.
The only question is what team would be willing to take a chance on the big lefty.
“Like Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery’s regular season has been as much of a nightmare as his offseason. He’s still a short time removed from being a Game 1 starter for a World Series winner, and the 2025 player option that maxes out at $25 million isn’t inherently disqualifying for a player of his caliber. It’s just tough to see someone pulling this specific lever now, especially with the Diamondbacks in the hunt and Montgomery out for most of the last month with knee inflammation.”
