Marte has been an All-Star each of the last two years, with a 141 OPS+, 77 doubles, 11 triples, 89 homers, and 249 RBI the last three. His 16.0 bWAR averages out to more than 5.0 per season, and he’s only just entering his age-32 campaign. His skill set should age gracefully, even with the numerous leg injuries he’s had over the years.
According to The Arizona Republic‘s Nick Piecoro, the Diamondbacks have rightly set an extremely high price for six years of cheap control over a superstar player. They’re seeking “an established, well-regarded starting pitcher plus multiple other pieces.”
Piecoro dove deeper in a later article, exploring a couple of trade offers that Arizona had received, such as one including the Rays’ Ryan Pepiot and another in which a team offered a “high-profile starting pitcher” with even more expected to be included.
Clearly, the D-backs are on the hunt for an ace or a pitcher that has a high chance of becoming an ace. That’s the number one thing missing from their roster aside from a closer. An ace could launch them right back into the thick of playoff contention.
Aces (or Potential Aces) the D-backs Could Target
Cincinnati Reds – Hunter Greene
The Reds have an acute need for a power bat and instant offense. They’ve been connected to Marte for much of the offseason. Plus, they have a controllable ace on a cheaper contract for the next four years that they could make the centerpiece of a trade offer.
While Greene does have some warts, namely durability, as he’s yet to have a fully healthy season, he would instantly become Arizona’s ace and their best pitcher by far. His 99.5 mph average fastball velocity does portend concern for a potential future elbow injury, but when he’s on, he’s unhittable. That’s why he has an ERA of 2.76 over his last two years and 258 innings.