Hot Stove League Review: Diamondbacks

A funny thing happened on the way to a rebuild for the D'backs.  They skipped the teardown part.  After trading away Zack Grienke and his enormous contract, they re-allocated that money in a series of smaller, yet significant deals to add to a team that surprisingly finished with a winning record of 85-77 last season.  Here is a rundown of their Hot Stove League highlights going into the 2020 season:

Free Agents Lost:  Adam Jones(OF), Wilmer Flores(IF- Team Option declined), Jarrod Dyson(OF), Yoshihisa Hirano(RHP), Alex Avila(C), Abraham Almonte(OF- refused minor league assignment).

Free Agents Added:  Stephen Vogt(C), Junior Guerra(RHP), Madison Bumgarner(LHP), Kole Calhoun(OF), Hector Rondon(RHP).

Arbitration(Non-tendered):  Steven Souza(OF), Caleb Joseph(C), Taijuan Walker(RHP).

Arbitration(Signed):  Nick Ahmed(SS), Archie Bradley(RHP), Robbie Ray(LHP), Andrew Chafin(LHP), Matt Andriese(RHP), Jake Lamb(IF), David Peralta(OF).

Trades:  Acquired Starling Marte(OF) from the Pirates for Liover Peguero(IF), Brennan Malone(RHP), International Bonus Pool money.

Minor League Free Agents:  Edwin Jackson(RHP), Jon Jay(OF), Mark Leiter(RHP), Dalton Pompey(OF), Trayce Thompson(OF).

Suspension:  Domingo Leyba(2B- 80 games).

Summary:  Starting pitching was not thought to be a need going into the Hot Stove League, but Bumgarner steps into the #1 SP role at a fraction of Zack Grienke's cost.  They also get younger and more powerful by replacing Adam Jones with Kole Calhoun.  They found the final puzzle piece in the trade for Starling Marte which allows them to move Ketel Marte back to 2B with Starling taking over in CF.  Stephen Vogt replacing Alex Avila is probably a lateral move, but Vogt pairs nicely with a young Carson Kelly as a catcher tandem.

These moves might leave them a Closer short and they may eventually regret trading Brennan Malone, but this is a team that will likely compete for a Wild Card playoff spot in 2020, if and when.

Grade B+.