Spring Training begins for the Arizona Diamondbacks in less than three weeks, but their offseason isn’t over yet. Arizona Sports radio host John Gambadoro outlines what he believes the team has to do before pitchers and catchers report on February 10.
Gambadoro notes that while the heavy lifting has been done, the team will try to accomplish two things. The first is leverage their surplus depth to add a reliever to the bullpen. The other is to sign a free-agent first baseman.
Who Could the Diamondbacks Target in a Trade?
If there is one area where the team carries a potential surplus, it’s on the infield. They’re relatively set at the four starting spots. The Diamondbacks retained Ketel Marte at second base and acquired Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals to man third base.
Here’s how their infield situation looks for 2026.
- First Base: Pavin Smith + free agent signing in a platoon
- Second Base: Ketel Marte
- Shortstop: Geraldo Perdomo
- Third Base: Nolan Arenado
That pushes youngsters Blaze Alexander and Jordan Lawlar out of a lineup spot. Both players are expected to play some outfield in 2026. Alexander already has a head start on that, with six games and three starts there in 2025. Lawlar played center field for a spell in winter ball after the season.
Another route would be using their farm system. The infield depth, especially at second base, could come into play. Arizona had three players crack MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 prospects at the position.
The Diamondbacks could dangle either one of the two infielders to land bullpen help. The Pirates‘ Dennis Santana makes the most sense to target, as Pittsburgh is looking to upgrade its lineup. They missed out on Kazuma Okamoto, who went to the Blue Jays, and still have a hole at third base.
The Rays are also a target, with uncertainty at second base and shortstop. Lawlar makes more sense of the two, as he could fill in at short while top prospect Carson Williams gets more reps in Triple-A. Arizona could target Griffin Jax or Garrett Cleavinger, both of whom have multiple years of control.
Which Free-Agent First Baseman Could the Diamondbacks Sign?
The Diamondbacks are looking for a right-handed bat. Naturally, the player who’s drawn the most attention is Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt played his first eight seasons in Arizona, having been named to six consecutive All-Star games from 2013-18.
A reunion with Goldschmidt is possible, but there’s always the chance that one team could see him more as an everyday first baseman than a platoon bat. He’s crushed left-handed pitching over the past two seasons, putting up a .315/.389/.522 slash and 12 home runs and a 152 wRC+. Combined with Smith, who produced a 127 wRC+ vs. right-handed pitching, the Diamondbacks could carry a potent first base platoon.
However, the problem is that Goldschmidt may get more than what Arizona is comfortable paying. They paid Randal Grichuk $5 million plus incentives for a similar role in 2025. FanGraphs’ median crowd-sourced projection on Goldschmidt has him getting $8.9 million on a one-year deal.
Other options that could appeal to Arizona include Rhys Hoskins and Ty France. Hoskins has the more potent bat of the two free agents, with a 114 wRC+ vs. lefties, while France is at 94. But France also provides quality first base defense that plays late in games.
Local Radio Host Reveals What’s Still Ahead for the Diamondbacks