Diamondbacks trade candidates who shouldn't be comfortable in Arizona
INF Blaze Alexander
This might be a hot take, because Blaze Alexander was one of the biggest reasons why the Diamondbacks were able to hang around in the Wild Card race for as long as they did, but I do believe a trade should be considered. This mostly has to do with his future standing in the organization.
Ketel Marte's name has been mentioned in trade rumors, but I'll believe he actually gets traded when I see it. Geraldo Perdomo has established himself as the team's unquestioned starting shortstop, and while Alexander has started over Jordan Lawlar down the stretch, you have to assume the former top prospect is going to get the lion's share of the reps at third base in 2026 and beyond, right? If so, Alexander doesn't really have a starting spot.
Sure, the Diamondbacks could use him as a bench player, but would it not make sense to trade him for some pitching help if there's interest around the league? Alexander has had a rough finish, but he was so good in August. It wouldn't be shocking to see teams express interest in acquiring him.
OF Alek Thomas
Alek Thomas was a postseason hero for the Diamondbacks in 2023, and that shouldn't be taken lightly, but that was two years ago, and Thomas has done next to nothing since. He hit .189 with a .605 OPS in 2024, and with more playing time this season, Thomas has a .657 OPS and an 80 OPS+, both well below league average.
Thomas has strong speed and is a good defender who can play all three outfield spots, but his career OPS+ mark is 76, making him 24 percent worse than a league-average hitter. At a certain point, the bat just has to be better than it's been.
Thomas is entering his first year of arbitration, and while he probably isn't a non-tender candidate, I'm not sold that the Diamondbacks will want to keep him around, especially with fellow light-hitting Jake McCarthy also in the mix.