Flawed D-Backs push forward as deadline nears
SAN DIEGO – If their intentions were at all unclear after they acquired righthander Matt Andriese earlier in the week, the Diamondbacks left no doubt on Friday afternoon by trading for infielder Eduardo Escobar. They are going for it.
Despite being a team that, since April, hasn’t been able to avoid ice-cold streaks. Despite a roster filled with questions, if not holes. Despite having to peel away from an already-depleted farm system. The Diamondbacks are going for it – because, really, what else are they supposed to do?
As the trade deadline has inched closer, the Diamondbacks’ front office has found itself in what – from the outside, at least – has looked like an uncomfortable position.
Their mostly healthy lineup has failed to find consistency. Two-fifths of their rotation has been unreliable. And while watching their division rivals land the best player on the trade market, the Diamondbacks have fielded a team that
has struggled for months to win series against good teams.
If the Diamondbacks couldn’t get out of the divisional round last year with what seemed like a better roster, is this year really going to be any different?
But the funny thing about comparing this year to last is that this time they might actually be in a better spot. On the day of last year’s trade deadline, they were a whopping 14 games out of first place, trailing a Dodgers team that, at the time, was on pace for 114 wins. Entering Saturday, the Diamondbacks were just 1 1/2 games out first.
Of course, last year, they had a better chance, overall, of reaching the postseason; they owned a six-game lead on a wild-card spot, whereas today they’re only a half-game up on the second wild card and were on the outside looking in entering the weekend.
But, from the front office’s perspective, what choice did the organization have but to buy? The team already had poured vast amounts of money – the payroll is scratching $140 million – and prospect capital into trying to take advantage of this group’s window of contention. With lefty Patrick Corbin and center fielder A.J. Pollock reaching free agency at the end of the year, this is likely the Diamondbacks’ best shot to win with this core of players.
Not everything has gone according to plan this year. Robbie Ray and Zack Godley aren’t pitching like their 2017 selves. Steven Souza Jr. has thus far been unable to replicate J.D. Martinez. Jake Lamb has struggled to both produce and stay healthy. Consistency, in general, has been hard to find.
As this year’s trade deadline approached, the front office must have been aware of these issues. But what else was there to do? Even if they didn’t feel great about the way things have played out, the Diamondbacks couldn’t become sellers, not when sitting that close to first place and in a league that still appears there for the taking.
After adding Escobar and Andriese, they might not be finished. General Manager Mike Hazen suggested on Friday that he could look to do some of his winter shopping early, perhaps jumping the offseason markets by targeting a potential impact pitcher with control beyond this season. Zack Wheeler, Chris Archer and Marcus Stroman could fit that description.
Failing that, the Diamondbacks still have some things going for them. Zack Greinke is back to looking like an ace. On many nights, Patrick Corbin looks like one, as well. They have at least three – and, on some days, four – lateinning bullpen arms that inspire confidence when they’re on the mound.
With Paul Goldschmidt, Pollock, David Peralta and now Escobar, they have a balanced heart of the order capable of producing. Their defense remains as good as any in the league. And, for stretches, this has all come together for weeks at a time in the win column.
Does this year’s team arouse the same confidence as last year’s? At this point, no. But things don’t always play out as expected.
Last year, the Diamondbacks dominated the Dodgers down the stretch, then got swept by them in the division series. The Dodgers, remember, stumbled into October. But the important thing was they got there. The Diamondbacks are buying in hopes of doing the same.