MLB Free Agency: 5 teams that could sign Anthony Rendon

4. Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks seemed to embrace a rebuild/rest last offseason when they traded first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals. But they lingered in playoff contention through most of this season, even as they sent Zack Grienke to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline.

Arizona retained some of the significant salary Greinke was owed, but they still are in the bottom half of baseball in projected payroll for 2020 ($118.37 million, 20th, according to Spotrac). So at least in theory, there’s nothing stopping them from being significant players in free agency if there’s someone out there that fits a need.

With Jake Lamb sidelined for a big chunk of the season, the Diamondbacks turned to Eduardo Escobar for 144 games at third base this year. He delivered nicely, with 35 home runs and 118 RBI with a .511 slugging percentage. But that level of production does not feel repeatable, and while Rendon touched those home run and RBI levels for the first time this year he has been a a more productive hitter overall.

The Diamondbacks should enter free agency with a targeted plan of action. Rendon could very well be part of that, as an upgrade at third base and to the middle of the lineup in one swoop.