D-Backs seek value at winter meetings

LAS VEGAS – With Paul Goldschmidt gone, the assumption for many is that the Diamondbacks have begun an all-out rebuild, and that Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray and others will follow Goldschmidt out the door.

But that is not how the Diamondbacks are viewing things, at least not on the day they arrived here for baseball’s winter meetings, which begin in earnest on Monday morning.

Could the Diamondbacks trade Greinke or Ray or literally any other veteran on their roster? Well, they just traded perhaps the most popular player in the franchise’s history, so anything is possible.

But just as General Manager Mike Hazen did on Wednesday, the day he dealt Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals for a package of three young players and a draft pick, other sources continue to insist the team isn’t entering a sort of “Everything Must Go” type of phase.

If the right offers come along in which the club can extract significant value for one or more of its players, then, they say, the team might act. But barring that, the Diamondbacks seem comfortable standing pat, filling holes on the roster and seeing what happens next season.

There are certainly areas to address. Assuming A.J. Pollock departs as a free agent, the Diamondbacks could use a center fielder. With Goldschmidt gone, perhaps they’ll find outside help there, as well, though they have plenty of internal options, including Jake Lamb, who could shift from third to first, or Christian Walker, whose offensive potential is intriguing to some in the organization.

And, as in most years, the Diamondbacks also could use bullpen help. They have options on their roster to serve as closer – there’s Yoshihisa Hirano, who finished last season handling ninth-inning duties, and Archie Bradley, who struggled in the second half but has long been viewed as a potential closer – but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them acquire a veteran, as they did the past two years with Fernando Rodney and Brad Boxberger.

Greinke remains a difficult player to move given the combination of his contract (he’s owed in the neighborhood of $95 million over the next three years), his no-trade clause (he can block a deal to 15 teams) and his age (he’ll pitch next season at 35).

Ray, however, figures to be the player whose name surfaces most often in trade rumors this week. He is relatively affordable (projected 2019 salary: $6.1 million), has the pure stuff of a frontline pitcher and still has two years to go before free agency. Though he is coming off a down season, he finished the year strong, and a source said the Diamondbacks are holding a “really high bar” in what they would need back in order to move him.