Diamondbacks' Jake McCarthy Trade is Starting to Look Strangely Even

If one were to examine former Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jake McCarthy's numbers with the Colorado Rockies this season, the knee-jerk reaction might be to assume the Diamondbacks came away the losers in that deal.

But that is not entirely case in context.

The deal was made back in January, as McCarthy was dealt to the Rockies in exchange for a right-handed starting pitcher by the name of Josh Grosz, who had thrown just four innings above the High-A level at any point in his career. McCarthy was coming off a poor 2025 season, and it was well-known Arizona was looking to trade one of either McCarthy or Alek Thomas.

As some time has passed, the early returns of this deal seem to be benefiting both teams.

Jake McCarthy trade benfiting Rockies and Diamondbacks

Apr 14, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder Jake McCarthy (31) reacts after hitting an RBI triple during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

McCarthy has gotten hot after a slow start. He's hitting .289/.360/.500 for the Rockies, with six doubles, two triples and two homers. The trademark speed is intact, and his underlying metrics do not seem to suggest his hits have been cheap. His expected batting average is .285, and his expected slug is .432.

So it would look, initially, like the Rockies won this deal. But there are two factors that make it beneficial for Arizona, as well.

For one, it looks like Grosz is beginning to figure things out at the Double-A level. At 23 years old, he has punched out an unbelievable 34 batters in just 19.2 innings with the Amarillo Sod Poodles.

Though Grosz had been limited to short outings, and gave up eight runs in his first 6.2 frames (over three starts), he just delivered his best start yet — an impressive five-inning, 11-strikeout affair. In fact, that performance earned him the nod for Texas League pitcher of the week.

Minor League Baseball has named Josh Grosz the Texas League Pitcher of the Week!

The right-hander was DOMINANT at HODGETOWN on Wednesday May 6

Grosz became the first Sod Poodles pitcher since 2024 to record a 10+ strikeout game and earned the first Double-A win of his career!… pic.twitter.com/XHVQuS422J
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) May 11, 2026

Clearly, Grosz has the stuff to miss bats, although he may end up profiling more as a reliever as his development continues.

But beyond the fact that Grosz looks like he could become a future asset for the Diamondbacks, McCarthy's departure helped clear the path for Arizona's new-era outfield.

As top prospect and outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt looks to be an immediate-impact player, and as Jordan Lawlar (though currently injured) has begun to turn a corner as an outfielder, there's less room for a streaky hitter like McCarthy, even with his speed.

Corbin Carroll won't rest much, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is healthy, and Jorge Barrosa is a premier defensive outfielder, as well. As evidenced by Arizona's surprise decision to DFA Alek Thomas, a player similar to McCarthy would not have had much of a role on this year's D-backs team in terms of sustained playing time and regular starts.

It's also worth noting McCarthy's numbers are severely split between Coors Field and road games. His OPS is 1.017 in the mile-high confines, but .746 on the road. He's still been a productive overall player, but that success might not have been the same at Chase Field this season.

Still, Colorado seems to be getting the outfield production and speed they needed, while the D-backs have a promising young arm as their outfield moves in a different direction. As of now, it looks like a pretty mutually-beneficial deal — but that could change quickly.

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