D-backs go all-in on fire sale before deadline
PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) - The Arizona Diamondbacks made it clear at the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline: They're pivoting to the future.
In a flurry of moves leading up to the deadline, the D-backs traded five veterans including three key pitchers in exchange for payroll relief and a collection of promising young arms.
The biggest move came in the final hour, when Arizona sent longtime starter Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers, who entered Thursday with the league’s best ERA.
In return, the D-backs received three of the Rangers' top pitching prospects: left-hander Kohl Drake (ranked fifth in the system), left-hander Mitch Bratt (ninth), and right-hander David Hagaman (thirteenth).
Kelly, 36, had posted a 3.12 ERA in 12 starts this season before an injury sidelined him in mid-July. He's been a staple in Arizona's rotation since 2019.
Arizona also pulled off a last-minute deal with Milwaukee, sending two injured pitchers Shelby Miller and Jordan Montgomery to the Brewers in exchange for $3 million in salary relief.
Miller was quietly one of the most effective relievers in baseball before landing on the injured list, recording a 1.98 ERA and 10 saves while filling in as closer. Montgomery is out for the season following Tommy John surgery and had struggled to a 6.23 ERA in 2024.
Earlier in the week, Arizona traded third baseman Eugenio Suárez back to the Seattle Mariners in a move that opened up salary and created more flexibility in the infield.
The team also dealt Josh Naylor and Randal Grichuk in smaller transactions for minor league depth.
With five deadline deals complete, the Diamondbacks shed more than $30 million in payroll, added three top-15 pitching prospects, and opened roster space for younger arms.
While these moves close the book on any postseason hopes in 2025, they position the team for a youth movement in 2026. The front office ultimately chose to keep ace Zac Gallen, signaling that while the fire sale is over, and hopefully the rebuild won't be long.
