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After having one of the most potent offenses in the National League in 2015, but also one of the most mediocre pitching staffs, the Arizona Diamondbacks have had a busy offseason trying to find the right balance that will allow them to compete in the NL West. The team has spent a lot of money, traded away some talented prospects and taken a lot of risks, but thus far they have had an impressive offseason. And if nothing else, this will make them one of the most intriguing teams in baseball in 2016.
The biggest splash the Diamondbacks have made was largest from any team this offseason with the signing of Zack Greinke. Arizona had to pledge $206.5 million to sign Greinke, a major sum of money for a team that isn’t exactly a big-market club. However, the addition of Greinke does provide a massive upgrade to Arizona’s pitching staff and gives the Diamondbacks the bona fide ace they previously lacked and most certainly need if they expect to become a contender in the pitching-rich NL West.
Of course, Greinke wasn’t the only addition Arizona made to its rotation this offseason, as the Diamondbacks also made a trade with the Atlanta Braves for Shelby Miller. Despite his 6-17 record in 2015, Miller posted a 3.02 ERA, and at age 25, he still has room for improvement. Miller will be a great complement to Greinke as Arizona’s No. 2 starter, especially with Patrick Corbin set to enjoy his first full season back after Tommy John surgery, giving the Diamondbacks additional depth in their starting rotation. Of course, the cost for Miller was not cheap, as Arizona not only surrendered top prospects Dansby Swanson and Aaron Blair, but outfielder Ender Inciarte as well.
Inciarte was a key part of Arizona’s offensive success last season, hitting .303 with a .747 OPS as the team’s primary leadoff hitter. However, with Yasmany Tomas capable of moving to the outfield full time after seeing time at both first base and third base last season, the Diamondbacks could afford to lose an outfielder and still have three quality players there with Jake Lamb moving into a more prominent role at third base. Of course, with Inciarte being traded, Arizona will have to find a new leadoff hitter and will have less depth in their outfield than last season, two factors that could hurt the team’s offensive prowess.
On the surface, the additions of Greinke and Miller make Arizona’s offseason a rousing success, as the Diamondbacks have the kind of pitching staff that can match up head-to-head with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. However, making those moves was risky, as the Diamondbacks gave up a key piece in Inciarte, prominent prospects in Swanson and Blair and a huge sum of money. But those are the types of risks teams like Arizona need to take in order to compete, and for that, the Diamondbacks receive a solid offseason grade.
Grade: B+
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