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The Arizona Diamondbacks are still sputtering in the National League Wild Card race. They are five games out of the final spot with a 46-48 record. Rumors are swirling about Arizona's trade deadline plans, especially in their pitching rotation. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal has the latest on Diamondbacks pitchers Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
“On the flip side, if the Diamondbacks sell, they are unlikely to trade both Gallen and Kelly, according to sources briefed on their plans. The DBacks already are without Corbin Burnes and Jordan Montgomery. If they subtract both Gallen and Kelly, they might not have enough young pitching to get through the season,” Rosenthal reported.
Both Diamondbacks pitchers are going to be free agents at the end of this season. If one had more control than the other, that could change the value. Rosenthal says Gallen is the one more likely to be traded.
“Gallen, trending upward in his last two starts, figures to draw more interest than Kelly. But Kelly, 36, has a 3.77 ERA in 159 career starts, all since he returned from Korea at age 30. And he’s only getting better. In his most recent start against the Padres, he threw four of the five hardest pitches of his career.”
The Diamondbacks could also trade Eugenio Suarez before the MLB trade deadline, considering the lack of infielders available on the market. Sending out Gallen and Suarez would help the D-Backs stack their prospect pipeline without taking away from the 2026 team. With so many teams vying for the NL Wild Card spots, they may be better off stocking up for the future.
If the Diamondbacks do not want to sell at the MLB trade deadline, they need to get hot now. They face the Los Angeles Angels going into the break and host the St Louis Cardinals coming out.
