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The Arizona Diamondbacks have struggled in recent seasons and haven't made the playoffs since 2017, with a difficult NL West not helping their cause. However, the Diamondbacks are in the mix this season thanks in large part to Corbin Carroll providing a major spark to start the season. The front office also executed brilliant moves before the trade deadline by acquiring Seattle Mariners reliever Paul Sewald and infielder Jace Peterson.
Arizona recently went through a brutal cold stretch (Carroll's struggles played a key role) before turning things around to stay in the NL Wild Card mix. The Diamondbacks are 64-61 and battling it out for the final NL playoff spots, with the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins all bunched together with them in the standings.
Pitching has not been the strongest suit for Arizona this season, so the acquisition of Sewald was a key move to help plug that hole. With the hopes salvaging an NL Wild Card spot, these are a couple other moves Arizona must complete soon.
Activate Evan Longoria
Evan Longoria is a legend in MLB, and it was a delightful sight to see Arizona add a veteran to be one of the leaders of the youthful squad. Longoria isn't what he once was, but he has 11 home runs and an OPS over .800 this season. However, a lower back strain has sidelined him for almost a month. The good news is Longoria just started his rehab assignment with the Triple-A Reno squad.
As a consistent contributor for the Tampa Bay Rays during his prime years, the expectation is always at a high level for Longoria. However, his value in Arizona is more emphasized as an incredible locker room guy and steady presence at third base. There are instances in which Jace Peterson or Emmanuel Rivera may end up starting at that position, but Longoria's return will bring veteran stability.
Recall Dominic Fletcher
As one of the top Diamondbacks prospects, Dominic Fletcher has had quite the roller-coaster ride of a season. Fletcher was promoted in late April to replace Alek Thomas and started on fire, but then he slowed down and got sent back down to Triple-A. After performing well there, he got called back up in late June but only lasted about a week.
Fletcher's numbers in the majors look good, with a .301 batting average and .791 OPS. However, he has some stark splits that stand out. While he has crushed it at home (.417) and against righties (.369), he's really struggling on the road (.228) and against lefties (.143). Even if the face value of his numbers are impressive, he cannot expect to be a tremendous threat in the majors if he's such a one-sided player.
But when rosters expand on September, there's no doubt Dominic Fletcher will be called up by the Diamondbacks. He continues to perform well at Triple-A, so it's only a matter of time.
Recall Jake McCarthy
Starting outfielder Jake McCarthy was optioned to Triple-A Reno a couple of days ago because of his immense struggles at the plate. Kyle Lewis was recalled by Arizona, but McCarthy will be an integral piece in September if the Diamondbacks remain in the thick of things in the NL Wild Card race. McCarthy is batting .192 in August, which is a disappointing sight for Diamondbacks fans.
McCarthy has shown he can be a lethal threat as proven by his numbers from June and July. His base running will be a vital facet Arizona will utilize when rosters expand in September, so the youngster has over a week to enhance his batting numbers if he intends to reclaim his starting spot in right field.
