Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Arizona Diamondbacks face a pivotal trade deadline with four players unlikely to stay past July 30.
- Pitching improvements contrast with offensive struggles, leaving the team's direction uncertain this season.
- The deadline decisions will test whether Arizona leans into contention or rebuilds around emerging talent.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a hard team to judge right now. While their pitching has been better than expected, particularly in the bullpen, the Diamondbacks are not quite as dynamic offensively as they should be with the talent that they have. Thus, Arizona enters play Monday with a middling 19-20 record, and its season could go in multiple directions.
Given the uncertainty, who knows what Arizona will do at the trade deadline? Regardless of whether they find themselves in contention or opt to sell, it's hard to envision these four players factoring into the equation by deadline day.
1B Carlos Santana
The Diamondbacks needed a platoon partner for the left-handed-hitting Pavin Smith, so signing Carlos Santana made a lot of sense for Arizona. Unfortunately, Santana didn't hit at all, going just 2-for-24 with eight strikeouts before landing on the IL in early April. He has played seven games on a rehab assignment but has gone just 3-for-25 in those contests.
As if Santana not hitting isn't bad enough, while he was on the IL (alongside Pavin Smith), Ildemaro Vargas has taken over the first base duties and he's currently third in the majors with a .341 batting average. Even if Vargas slows down to the point where the Diamondbacks want to bench him at some point, the organization still has Smith, who should be back before the deadline, and even Tyler Locklear, one of their most exciting prospects, healthy in Triple-A.
The Diamondbacks don't need Santana, especially when he isn't hitting, making it possible, if not likely, that he doesn't last with the D-Backs organization until the deadline.
OF Alek Thomas
Alek Thomas is the easiest name of a player who won't be sticking around because, well, the Diamondbacks have already DFA'd him. Sure, there's a path for him to clear waivers and stick around in Triple-A, but more likely than not, the Diamondbacks are going to find a trade partner.
The reason why the Diamondbacks got rid of Thomas is twofold. First, Thomas cannot hit. He has hit .181 with a .563 OPS this season, and he has a .634 OPS in parts of five big-league seasons. Second, the Diamondbacks just promoted their top prospect, Ryan Waldschmidt, to take his spot. Arizona could've kept the defensive-minded Thomas around as a fourth outfielder, but Jorge Barrosa is fine in that role while offering the Diamondbacks added flexibility of being a switch-hitter.
Thomas will generate interest because of his speed and defense, but the Diamondbacks needed more than just that.
C/DH Adrian Del Castillo
It might be a hot take to put Adrian Del Castillo, a player who has been hitting clean-up consistently against right-handed pitchers, on this list, but are we sure he'll still be doing this come deadline day? Del Castillo burst onto the scene with an impressive 25-game showing in 2023, but he had an underwhelming .682 OPS in 44 big-league games last season and he has slashed .210/.253/.370 with three home runs and 16 RBI in 24 games this season. I get that Del Castillo has raked in the minors, but he has a .725 OPS in 93 MLB games, which is underwhelming for a primary DH, and that's including what's looking like an outlier showing in 2023.
At some point, patience will wear thin, and Del Castillo will lose his spot. The Diamondbacks can choose to replace him with an injured player at some point like Jordan Lawlar or Pavin Smith, or they can choose to promote a prospect like Tyler Locklear or even one of Tommy Troy or LuJames Groover.
Whether Del Castillo is traded to fill another need or sent down to Triple-A, it's hard to envision him remaining a lineup fixture if he cannot get going offensively.
OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been nothing but a consistent presence in the middle of the Diamondbacks' lineup since he was first traded there ahead of the 2023 season, but the 2026 campaign has been an exception. Gurriel missed the first three weeks of the season recovering from a Torn ACL, and since returning, he's been a non-factor, slashing .218/.295/.255 with zero home runs.
Now, Gurriel has only played in 15 games so the sample size is quite small, but it's worth noting that his .713 OPS in 2025 was a career-low, and he's now 32 years old. Could Gurriel's best days be behind him? Plus, while the Diamondbacks need him now, will they still need to start him by the deadline?
With Carroll and Walschmidt locked into two outfield spots, the Diamondbacks could easily give the third to Lawlar once he's healthy. Gurriel is on an expiring contract with a club option for next season, so if the Diamondbacks are sellers, it makes sense to move him. If they are competing, it'd still make sense to move him, but for a player who could help them win now.
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