The Diamondbacks’ shock signing of Corbin Burnes added a brand new frontline arm to a rotation that was already working at a surplus on paper. Burnes joins Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery, Brandon Pfaadt, and Ryne Nelson, giving the Snakes an enviably deep group of beginning pitchers. The D’backs had already been drawing commerce curiosity on this group even earlier than Burnes was added, however Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic sports activities that the Burnes signing wasn’t made with every other pitching swaps instantly on the horizon.
In accordance with Piecoro, no “different offers [are] lined up and even shut” involving Arizona’s pitchers, because the Diamondbacks will proceed to take a measured view of the market. A supply tells Piecoro that the D’Backs will seemingly “spend the approaching days fielding calls from groups nonetheless within the hunt for starters, together with people who had been in on Burnes.” The D’Backs aren’t in any explicit rush to finish a commerce any time quickly, as having greater than a full rotation in place earlier than New Yr’s Eve offers the membership loads of time to determine the absolute best supply.
It additionally isn’t totally out of the query that the Diamondbacks stand pat on their starters, particularly if an damage emerges to a starter throughout their offseason coaching, or throughout Spring Coaching. Kelly, Rodriguez, and Montgomery all missed important time with accidents final season, so there’s apparent worth in having additional pitchers available ought to any extra well being points create openings within the rotation. Working with a six-man rotation can also be a risk, to be able to preserve everybody wholesome and recent for what the D’Backs hope may be an prolonged run by the playoffs.
Given how the Burnes deal reportedly got here collectively simply throughout the final week when Burnes himself approached the D’Backs, it isn’t shocking that the signing wasn’t a part of a direct plan to re-model the pitching employees. Such two-step transactions are normally exhausting to tug off, although the Diamondbacks had been a part of such a set of strikes from the Guardians simply final week — Arizona acquired Josh Naylor from the Guards, and Cleveland then signed Carlos Santana that very same day to right away fill Naylor’s spot because the on a regular basis first baseman.
The truth that Burnes signed with a workforce that was seemingly already set for beginning pitching offers GM Mike Hazen much more leverage in procuring his hurlers. Such identified Burnes suitors just like the Orioles, Blue Jays, or Giants are nonetheless in want of pitching, to say nothing of the numerous different starter-needy golf equipment available on the market that weren’t prepared or capable of meet Burnes’ asking worth.
Nothing appears to have modified when it comes to which starters are most prominently on Arizona’s commerce block. Gallen and Kelly are each free brokers subsequent winter however don’t appear more likely to be dealt, as a workforce supply advised Piecoro that the workforce’s focus in on “attempting to place the very best workforce on the sphere in 2025.” Nelson is managed by the 2027 season and Pfaadt by the 2029 season, so the Diamondbacks would most likely solely transfer both if a longer-term asset (seemingly a place participant) may obtained in return. The D’Backs may not thoughts transferring the $66MM remaining on Rodriguez’s contract, however the membership will surely need to promote low and eat a few of that cash within the wake of E-Rod’s injury-plagued down yr.
That leaves Montgomery as nonetheless the chief candidate to be dealt earlier than Opening Day. Montgomery’s commerce worth can also be at a low ebb after his tough first yr in Arizona, and his $22.5MM wage for the 2025 season. Proprietor Ken Kendrick’s public criticism of Montgomery following the season solely elevated the chance that the left-hander can be pitching elsewhere subsequent yr, but once more, the Burnes signing offers the D’Backs some flexibility on this regard. The Diamondbacks technically don’t need to commerce Montgomery if an appropriate supply for one more starter comes their method, and gives for Montgomery would possibly enhance if different groups change into more and more determined so as to add pitching.
