After the official lockout, teams are once again allowed to make major league deals. Clubs continue to have many free agents and trade opportunities and we are expected to see a surge in activity in the coming days.
Diamondbacks President/CEO Derrick Hall met with reporters (including Steve Gilbert from MLB.com) this afternoon to discuss the prospects for the club after the lockout. He pointed to adding another bat and further upgrades to the bullpen as priority areas for CEO Mike Hazen and the rest of the front office.
This is in line with pre-lockout expectations, as in November the front office indicated a desire to help at third base and in the relief corps. Arizona has yet to meaningfully address the positional group of players, so adding to third base is likely to remain a goal. Kyle Seeger has since retired, delisting one notable free agent option. D-Backs is unlikely to sign a star like Chris Bryantleaving the players like Jonathan Villar as well as Josh Harrison as the most realistic options for the Serpents if they are looking for an open market for infield upgrades.
The Diamondbacks made one big addition to the bullpen ahead of the lockout. Added veteran closer Mark Melancon in a two-year deal strengthening the ninth inning. However, there is still plenty of room for updates in the middle and end of the feed. The only returning bullpen option in Arizona to have more strikeouts and walks than average last season (minimum 20 innings) is the swingman. Caleb Smith. Melancon, Smith Noe Ramirez as well as Joe Mantipli the only pitchers with an ERA below 3.50 to return to the desert. Adding an extra hand or two to bridge the gap between spin and Melançon at the end of games makes sense.
Free agency is offering a variety of assistance options starting in the 2021 season. It seems likely that the D-Backs will add at least one veteran bullpen to the big leagues deal, and Hall indicated that the club has a bit of salary flexibility to work with. “I see that we are aggressive and active,” he said. “And if you’re asking if we’ll get [the payroll] north of $90 million – $100, $105 – I could easily see it.”
The D-Backs currently have approximately $88 million in commitments for the 2022 campaign, including projected salaries for players eligible for arbitrage (via Jason Martinez of Roster Resource). Hall’s comments suggest that at least a few million dollars remain in Hazen and company’s treasury, and it’s possible that the Snakes could add an additional $10 or $15 million to this year’s ledgers if the opportunity presents itself. .
Some may be surprised to learn that the D-Backs are planning to add after the worst NL record of 52-110. However, Arizona management resisted the idea of a complete overhaul. D-Backs did not move key controlled players such as Ketel Marte or Zach Gallen either at a deadline last summer or earlier in the off-season. Their first big move in the offseason was a close signing of the veteran. They have an uphill battle in the NL West, which looks to be one of the toughest divisions in the league, but the D-Backs don’t seem interested in playing in 2022.