4 more D-backs who are as good as gone after Josh Naylor trade

Naylor won't even be the second-biggest name the Diamondbacks trade away this month.
Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Angels
Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Angels | Brandon Sloter/GettyImages

The fire sale is officially on. The Arizona Diamondbacks have made the first of what will almost certainly be several trades, sending Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for a pair of pitching prospects.

The Diamondbacks being sellers at the deadline is a tough pill for fans to swallow, given the team's World Series aspirations entering the year. But with that being said, Arizona has a chance to win the deadline for the long haul, given the quality and volume of players they can trade in what's expected to be a seller's market.

The Diamondbacks have a slew of stars on expiring contracts, and Naylor was just one of them. It's unlikely that Arizona parts with anyone who can help them win in 2026, but these four players feel like locks to get dealt.

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4) RP Shelby Miller

The bullpen has been one of, if not the biggest Achilles heel for the Diamondbacks this season, but Shelby Miller is an exception. In his 37 appearances, Miller has a 1.98 ERA in 36.1 innings of work, and he's also racked up 10 saves and eight holds. He's been an outstanding late-game reliever, and has been particularly effective against left-handed hitters, which, as a right-handed pitcher, makes him extremely enticing.

Miller, like everyone else on this list, is on an expiring contract. Trading him now, while he's in the midst of arguably his best season, makes a lot of sense when he's set to hit free agency after the year. He's injured right now, but is expected back sooner rather than later, and can help any contender in need of a bullpen arm (which is virtually every team buying).

3) SP Zac Gallen

Zac Gallen was once one of the best starting pitchers in the game, but he, for whatever reason, has struggled mightily at the worst possible time for Arizona. In fact, among 62 qualified starting pitchers, Gallen's 5.58 ERA ranks 61st, and his 0.0 fWAR is dead last. He's arguably been the worst qualified starter in baseball this season, which is insane for a guy who was a Cy Young finalist just two years ago.

Gallen's value won't be nearly as high as Diamondbacks fans would like, but given his track record, contenders needing starting pitching help will want to give him a shot to turn his season around. It'd be foolish for the Diamondbacks to commit to him long-term anyway, so trading Gallen while they still can is the only logical decision.

2) SP Merrill Kelly

Gallen gets most of the attention among Diamondbacks starting pitchers because of his track record, but Merrill Kelly should fetch Arizona more in return. Sure, he might not be that enticing given his expiring contract status and his age (36), but Kelly is having as good of a year as anyone who figures to be available on the trade block.

The right-hander has a 3.32 ERA in 21 starts and 122 innings of work, and if a start in which he allowed nine runs in 3.2 innings in early April were removed, his numbers would look even better. Kelly has gone at least five innings in all but one of his starts, and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 14 of his 21 outings. Essentially, in two out of every three starts he makes, Kelly puts his team in a tremendous position to win, which is why, even while pitching on a Diamondbacks team bad enough to sell, Arizona has a winning record in his starts.

Virtually every contender needs starting pitching help. Kelly might not be a true ace, but he can be a low-end No. 2 or a high-end No. 3 on a World Series team. He's underrated, and can help tilt a postseason series.

1) 3B Eugenio Suarez

You knew he'd be here. Eugenio Suarez is the biggest bat available by a sizable margin, and now that Naylor has been traded, it feels like a matter of when and where, not if, Suarez follows.

Suarez has always been a premier power hitter, but this season has been arguably his best. The 34-year-old is slashing .252/.325/.593 with 36 home runs and a MLB-leading 86 RBI. He's driven in more runs than anybody, and has hit more home runs than anyone not named Cal Raleigh, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

Yes, there are concerns with his glove and his base running, but his bat is no joke and can win a game for his team on any night, as Diamondbacks fans have seen on several occasions this season. Suarez should bring back the biggest return of all players on this list.