Arizona Diamondbacks Will 'Definitely' Be Sellers at Trade Deadline, Per Report

Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor are all reportedly available as the Arizona Diamondbacks try to retool and add young pitching amid a disappointing 2025 season.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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The Arizona Diamondbacks, who are four games under .500 and seventh in the race for three NL Wild Card spots, could have a busy few weeks ahead.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, rival executives believe the D-backs will "definitely" be sellers at the trade deadline, seeing it as the club's only path toward competing in 2026. Starting pitcher Zac Gallen, starting pitcher Merrill Kelly, third baseman Eugenio Suárez and first baseman Josh Naylor – all of whom are set to hit free agency in November – are all reportedly going to be available.

"I don’t see a world they don’t sell," one GM said, per Nightengale. "They have so many holes, and so many free agents."

The front office is looking to bring back young pitching in exchange for their veterans, Nightengale added.

Arizona has been on this path since Corbin Burnes underwent Tommy John surgery in June, robbing the team of a former Cy Young winner who they inked to a $210 million contract in December.

The Diamondbacks' 20-28 record since May 20 is the fourth-worst in the National League in that time, better than only the Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves. Considering they entered 2025 with a franchise-record $181 million payroll, that just isn't going to cut it.

Suárez, 33, is one of Arizona's three All-Stars this season. He is batting .249 with 31 home runs, 17 doubles, 57 runs, 77 RBIs, an .886 OPS and 2.9 WAR.

The Diamondbacks traded for Naylor this past offseason when Christian Walker left to join the Houston Astros in free agency. Through 86 games, the 28-year-old is batting .295 with 11 home runs, 18 doubles, 45 runs, 58 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, an .823 OPS and a 1.2 WAR.

Gallen, who turns 30 in August, placed top 10 in Cy Young voting in 2020, 2022 and 2023, but has been far from his old self in 2025. After entering this season with a 3.29 ERA, 1.135 WHIP, 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 19.6 WAR in his career, the righty is 7-10 with a 5.40 ERA, 1.374 WHIP, 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.3 WAR.

Kelly has been far more productive, although he is notably 36 years old. In 19 starts this season, the righty is 7-5 with a 3.41 ERA, 1.054 WHIP, 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.8 WAR.

Gallen and Kelly each played major roles in the D-backs' run to the 2023 NL pennant. It appears that team's time has come and gone, though, and the trade deadline may mark the beginning of a new era in Phoenix.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.

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