5 key questions from D-backs’ big offseason trade

This story was excerpted from Steve Gilbert’s D-backs Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.

Why commerce Varsho?
Dealing Varsho was a tricky one for the entrance workplace, not simply because he is an excellent participant, but additionally due to how standard he’s amongst his teammates.

But after exploring numerous totally different avenues and situations because the finish of the season, the D-backs concluded that, with Corbin Carroll not on the desk, the one means they have been going to get the sort of return they needed was to commerce Varsho.

“With Daulton’s performance to this point in his career, and probably rightly so, teams were willing to pay more for that,” government vp and normal supervisor Mike Hazen mentioned.

Will they commerce catcher Carson Kelly?
They do not plan on it. They see Kelly’s presence as a option to give Moreno an extended “runway” to get snug within the huge leagues versus throwing him on the market because the starter from Day One.

Will Gurriel play any infield?
It seemed like Hazen did not need to decide to that with out speaking to Gurriel first. For now they see him as a left fielder/designated hitter, however Hazen plans on discussing issues with Gurriel when he involves Arizona, so keep tuned for that.

Did they take into account preserving Varsho, Carroll, Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy and letting issues kind themselves out in the course of the season?
Of course, however ultimately that was one thing Hazen did not suppose could be clever.

“I’m not sure rolling out the 74-win Diamondbacks team again, with a year of experience but with holes all over the place that clearly showed themselves during the course of our season, that that would have moved the ball forward, either,” Hazen mentioned. “I didn’t feel like sitting tight and winding it back up again was going to get the job done. Unsure of what’s going to happen at this point moving forward, but that was the thought process around why we did. We aren’t sitting in a place where one player or free agent signing is going to take us where we need to be to compete. You see what’s happening in the National League. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Are they performed now for the offseason?
It did not sound prefer it. Hazen would nonetheless prefer to proceed so as to add to the roster — the bullpen doubtless is not a completed product — however he mentioned it could extra doubtless be by way of free company at this level than a commerce.