What is the biggest offseason priority for the Diamondbacks?
James Attwood: Pitching. They are losing Soroka, Gallen, Ginkel, Puk, Loaisiga, and Thompson just to start with. Is Ryne Nelson going to stay healthy? How about Rodriguez and Kelly? Oh yeah, then there is whether or not Corbin Burnes will ever be an effective starter again. So the answer is pitching n general, but starting pitching in particular.
Spencer: Avoid a lockout.
1AZFan1: I see the three biggest priorities as filling in the bullpen, adding one more starting pitcher, and adding a lefty bat
who could also play 1B. Of those, the biggest priority to me is finding one more starter. Right now, our starting rotation is Burnes, ERod, Pfaadt, Merrill and Ryne(?). Questions abound in that group and the MLB-ready depth behind them in case of injury or ineffectiveness is suspect.
At first base, worst case you can run Tim Tawa out there and I think you could get reasonable production from him. He had a 98 wRC+ from July 1st on (102 wRC+ against righties) which was better than Freddie Freeman, Josh Naylor, Christian Walker and Nathaniel Lowe among 1B over the same time period. Then the bullpen, while a glaring weakness considering all the arms who are moving on via free agency, was always going to be a throw-stuff-at-the-wall solution to see what sticks.
Makakilo: Perhaps the biggest priority is to develop the performance of the current players, who have exceptional potential.
Ben: It’s a tossup between the starting rotation and first base in my opinion. In 2026, those were two standout weaknesses for the team by wins above average (WAA), ranking 15th in the NL by WAA for first base and left field while ranking 11th for their starting pitching. That last number also includes shocking bounceback seasons from both Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka. I don’t think you can necessarily count on both of those pitchers re-creating those remarkable seasons two years in a row – assuming the team was able to re-sign Soroka.
Sam Bradfield: A serviceable first baseman/DH — whether that’s moving Arenado to first, or going out and getting someone else (Paul Goldschmidt reunion, perhaps?)
Who is your most optimistic, but still realistic, get for the Diamondbacks?
James Attwood: Michael Soroka. There is still the chance he appreciates the treatment he received in AZ and that he likes the atmosphere where he was given a mile of leash. He also took a massive hit to his free agent value when he went to the IL for more than just a game late in the season. Of the starting caliber players on the free agent market, he may actually be obtainable by Arizona, assuming no one else offers him a Merrill Kelly or better contract.
Spencer: The third baseman from Japan. Sato? He’s probably going to be out of the price range, but maybe.
1AZFan1: I think Michael Soroka fits the bill here. I’m not sold that he’ll be worth the money just because I’m worried that injuries will be a regular part of his career moving forward, but if we pay up for a starting pitcher it might as well be him.
Makakilo: Ty France, who would play at first base.
Ben: I think they could realistically target someone like Ty France. He was one of the most valuable defensive first basemen last year with 0.9 defensive WAR from Baseball Reference to go along with a 139 OPS+ in 2026. At 32 years old, he could be a good candidate for a medium-long contract to allow someone else to bubble up from the farm system like LuJames Groover. Spotrac estimates a 3 year/$49 million contract for him, but everything is up in the air given the potential labor unrest this offseason.
Sam Bradfield: If they decide to move Nolan Arenado to first, perhaps they could go after Ryan McMahon from the Yankees? He could be another former intra-division reclamation project, and he’d be a good left-handed platoon for when Nolan needs a day off from third.
Does Ketel Marte get traded? Should Ketel Marte get traded?
James Attwood: I honestly don’t think he’ll be traded, even though Arizona might be better off without his attitude in the clubhouse. Ketel Marte apparently loves it in Arizona, at least as far as living and for his family. It is also fairly common knowledge he dislikes Florida and Texas, which eliminate four teams off the bat. Add in teams like Colorado, Pittsburgh, and a handful of others, and there are maybe 8-10 teams in all of MLB that would be an eligible fit. Except, if Marte doesn’t want to go, he doesn’t have to go. If Arizona is going to trade him, it is almost a certainty that they will have to incentivize Marte to accept a trade. Those sort of incentives are usually monetary in nature, meaning that any money saved by moving Marte is probably eaten by the incentive.
Would Arizona be better off trading him? Should they trade him? If they can get a deal in the same tier as the trade offer put up by Boston last winter, they should probably ask Marte to accept the move. Boston isn’t even going to have a lick of interest though, so chalk off another potential trade target. Because of all the complications, and because the Snakes don’t have a real alternative available right now, it seems unlikely to me he gets traded.
Spencer: Yes. And no. There’s no iteration of this team that’s better without Ketel. But if he’s as big a clubhouse cancer as twitter would have us believe, the long term health of the franchise might depend on him being elsewhere for the rest of his career.
1AZFan1: Yes. I think ownership is done with Ketel and they will pressure Hazen to move on from him. I don’t think Ketel should be traded, at least not for what we will likely get back for him.
Makakilo: Early last season, two AZ Snake PIt articles discussed Ketel Marte’s batting. Despite concerns, the positives were improved squared up percentages for five pitch types, and the average exit velocity was better than 2025.
https://www.azsnakepit.com/arizona-diamondbacks-analysis/91216/can-marte-and-perdomo-bat-better
https://www.azsnakepit.com/arizona-diamondbacks-analysis/92038/whats-the-matter-with-ketel-marte
In October, the following AZ Snake Pit article discussed reasons that next season Marte’s performance could improve or dwindle.
https://www.azsnakepit.com/arizona-diamondbacks-analysis/98356/which-direction-marte
As far as predictors for next season, my take (perhaps a too-quick conclusion) from a FanGraphs article (link follows) was that exit velocity and hard-hit percentage are somewhat good predictors of next season’s performance. From that viewpoint, I’m optimistic about Marte’s performance because among qualified Diamondback batters, his 101.5 MPH EV50 tied for best, and although his 43.0% hard-hit percentage was third best, his 18.9% percent of hard-hit swings was the best. Data from Baseball Savant.
https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/reviewing-my-potential-2026-hr-fb-surgers-decliners-using-league-relative-statcast-power-metrics/
In conclusion, his performance will likely bounce back, and his hitting fundamentals are among the best players on the Diamondbacks, and therefore he should remain a Diamondback.
Ben: I don’t think Marte gets traded. It wouldn’t shock me if a team inquired and even put together an offer for him, but I would be surprised if he actually accepted waiving his 10-5 rights for such a trade to actually take place. Whether or not Ketel should get traded is a separate question I don’t quite know how to answer. His behavior clearly has been a distraction the past two seasons, but he’s also been the face of this current contention window and one of the emotional centers of the team. I’m not convinced his behavior can’t be improved and he can return to form.
Sam Bradfield: I don’t think he will be traded, but it all depends on what they’re able to get for him in return.
Does Ken Kendrick do his thing and blow the budget for one entirely unexpected player, and if so, who?
James Attwood: Almost certainly not. For one thing, outside of potentially Tarik Skubal, there isn’t anyone on the free agent market that is even remotely worth spending for, especially once ages are taken into consideration and the fact that 2027 if probably going to be abbreviated. Ken Kendrick in his wildest dreams is not in the running for Tarik Skubal, no matter how badly he might want him. There simply is no path forward for Arizona to even be allowed to sit at the negotiating table.
Spencer: Not this year. But Skubal if he does….. and it’ll be bad.
1AZFan1: I doubt it. He’s been burned each time he’s done it (I suppose we could give the Burnes signing an Incomplete, though). I really do think that he’s trying to trim the budget and given his track record in last minute splurges, he’ll exercise self control and let Hazen do his thing.
Makakilo: If I could predict the player, it would no longer be entirely unexpected.
Ben: Ian Happ feels like the kind of player that Ken would like to sign randomly. He’d be a relatively expensive (2 years/$40 million per Spotrac) addition who could be valuable as a veteran voice on the team. Of course, at 32, he’s a prime candidate for regression and the outfield is one area that has some excellent depth on the roster and in the farm system.
Sam Bradfield: I don’t think so — I think the lockout means a lot of owners will play things closer to the vest this year, unfortunately.
Thoughts on Ben Fritz joining the team?
James Attwood: Meh.
Spencer: Never heard of him. He sounds perfect
1AZFan1: Obvious caveat that I have no idea how impactful a bullpen coach is, but Fritz has overseen one of the best bullpens in baseball over the last several years. The thing I like most about the signing is that we’re taking a good coach away from one of our direct competitors in the NL West which hopefully doubles the impact of this move.
Makakilo: The best candidates get chosen early in the offseason. Check!
The best candidates are currently in a similar job. Check!
For the Diamondbacks, injury prevention is essential to prevent a repeat of last season. The following two quotes show that Ben Fritz has that skill. Check!
“He’s very good at reading body language. He knows when a guy needs a day or a second day. That’s kind of helped us keep most of these guys healthy.” — Craig Stammen, July 2026
https://www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi/padres-lose-key-pitching-coach-nl-west-rival-diamondbacks
“He knows deliveries, he knows pitching, he knows analytics. He’s been a coordinator, he’s been a pitching coach, he’s been a rehab coordinator, and he’s been in the Major Leagues these past two years.” — Jayce Tingler, August 2021
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/who-is-ben-fritz-get-to-know-the-padres-new-pitching-coach/2700294/
Ben: I mean, Fritz clearly did a good job handling an excellent San Diego bullpen so that gives me some optimism that he could re-create that somewhat here in Arizona. Of course, it helps that he was working with some of the best relievers in the sport. It’s the third pitching coach over the last five years with mixed results. What exactly will Fritz do to change that dynamic?
Sam Bradfield: I think he’s a good hire. The Padres’ bullpen was nails last year. Granted, they had some excellent arms with Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon, which I’m sure helped. But overall, I’m optimistic.
Place Your Bets, Offseason edition: What date does the season start?
James Attwood: At some point in 2028
Spencer: July 15
1AZFan1: May 1st. I think ownership caves once games start getting missed. I don’t think I’ll be satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, either. Probably a salary floor gets introduced, but no meaningful salary cap will get through and the deep-pocketed teams will continue to soak up every small market’s favorite player, forcing the small markets to spend their money on locking up players super early or on mid-tier free agents to meet the minimum spend requirements.
Makakilo: How about 2 July because it would add to the celebration of the fourth of July?
Ben: May 30th. As worried as I am about missing the entire season, I’m optimistic there will be enough pressure from the inside and outside that after missing around six weeks of the regular season will be enough for the sides to compromise somehow.
Sam Bradfield: I’m predicting May — after both sides lose a month of salary, they’ll be ready to come back and get things going.
