The Arizona Diamondbacks are poised for a busy off-season on the trade front if some recent Hot Stove rumours prove to be true.
The club is expected to tear down its roster, with ace Zack Greinke and star slugger Paul Goldschmidt among those who could be moved, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.
The Diamondbacks advanced to the National League Division Series in 2017, but were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in three games. They finished third in the NL West this past season with an 80-82 record and missed the playoffs.
Centre-fielder A.J. Pollock and left-hander Patrick Corbin are among the club’s free agents and moving Greinke or Goldschmidt would further turn over a roster that general manager Mike Hazen took over at the end of the 2016 season.
Greinke, who turns 35 this month, is owed $104.5 million over the next three seasons, meaning the Dbacks will likely need to absorb some salary to move him. The former Cy Young winner was stellar in 2018, posting a 3.21 ERA and 3.71 FIP across 33 starts and 207.2 innings. His 3.5 wins above replacement ranked 11th in the NL per FanGraphs.
Goldschmidt is due $14.5 million next season, the last before he can become a free agent. The 31-year-old first baseman is among the game’s premier hitters — his 22.6 total WAR over the past four seasons ranks seventh in baseball.
Here are some more rumours from around baseball, starting with Corbin…
Leaving the desert
Corbin likely won’t re-sign in Arizona and chatter across the industry pegs him to land with the New York Yankees. The left-hander, who grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., told Nightengale at the beginning of this season: “It would definitely be great to play there. I grew up a Yankee fan. My whole family are Yankee fans. My mom, my dad, my grandpa, everybody. Really, every generation of my family has been Yankee fans.”
Jon Heyman of Fancred reported this week that the interest from the Yankees front office is mutual and Corbin is expected to be among the team’s off-season targets. Fellow left-hander J.A. Happ, acquired by the Yankees in a July trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, could also be in the team’s plans.
Corbin, 29, enjoyed a career season in 2018, pitching to a 3.15 ERA over 200 innings and striking out 246 batters.
Gray likely on the move
While Corbin could be joining the Yankees, another starter will likely be leaving New York. Yankees GM Brian Cashman said Friday that he expects to trade Sonny Gray. The right-hander struggled in the Bronx, posting a 4.90 ERA in 130.1 innings this year, and would now benefit from a change of scenery in Cashman’s view.
It’ll be a busy off-season for the Yankees, who will miss Didi Gregorius for the beginning of the 2019 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Does that make Manny Machado an even better fit in the Bronx? For now, Cashman’s declining to say.
Manager carousel continues
The Texas Rangers will meet with Joe Girardi about their managerial opening Friday, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
Girardi, 53, was fired by the Yankees following the 2017 season after managing the team for 10 years. He captured a World Series in 2009 and won NL Manager of the Year with the Marlins in 2006.
The Rangers parted ways with manager Jeff Banister late this past season.
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