The Arizona Diamondbacks won 89 games last season and signed Corbin Burnes in the offseason. Given that, MLB fans understandably expected Arizona to be in the postseason mix in 2025. Well, Friday's loss ensured that they'd miss the postseason for a second straight season.
The Diamondbacks impressed somewhat by staying alive this long even after a major deadline sell-off, but the end result is still disappointing given the preseason expectations. It was, undoubtedly, a lost season in Arizona.
This poor season could result in major changes being made, starting with these five players departing in the winter, whether it's in free agency or via trade.
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Diamondbacks free agents who won't be back
RHP Zac Gallen
Gallen's ERA inflated to 3.65 in 2024, and after his final start on Friday, his 2025 ERA ends at 4.85. Granted, Gallen did pitch better down the stretch, posting a 3.32 ERA in 10 starts since the start of August, but his overall numbers were not good.
Despite his rough year, the odds of Gallen accepting a cheap short-term deal are probably slim. There's a chance Gallen will accept the Qualifying Offer, and that's an outcome Arizona should be happy with, but even given their poor rotation, giving Gallen the kind of contract I suspect he'll be getting would be a mistake.
LHP Jalen Beeks
This season was a disappointing one for Arizona, but that doesn't mean every move the organization made was a bad one. The decision to sign Jalen Beeks right before Opening Day to a cheap one-year deal paid off pretty nicely.
In a team-leading 61 appearances, Beeks has posted a 3.77 ERA across 57.1 innings of work. He doesn't strike out many, but he held left-handed hitters to a .611 OPS. Arizona's bullpen had all sorts of problems this season, but Beeks was one of the few relievers Torey Lovullo could trust in most spots.
While Beeks had a nice year, particularly for the contract he was on, Arizona needs to aim higher in the 'pen, especially with both A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez set to miss at least part of the 2026 campaign. Beeks is very replaceable, and it shouldn't be hard to find an upgrade.
INF Ildemaro Vargas
The Diamondbacks brought Ildemaro Vargas back for his third Diamondbacks stint this past offseason, and considering expectations, he didn't play poorly when given a chance. He's appeared in 36 big league games and has slashed .271/.295/.393 in those contests with three home runs and 19 RBI in 113 plate appearances. While Vargas hasn't been bad, his 88 OPS+ is still below league-average, and as his career OPS+ mark of 78 would suggest, it is probably an anomaly.
Vargas has spent parts of nine years in the majors and has hit a total of 20 home runs in over 1,300 plate appearances with a .647 OPS. He can play several positions and doesn't strike out much, but he doesn't provide enough value on either side of the ball to even warrant a bench spot.
This, compounded with the fact that he cannot be optioned to Triple-A without passing through waivers, makes it unlikely that the Diamondbacks will entertain bringing the 34-year-old back.
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.