The Arizona Diamondbacks need plenty of pitching this offseason, and it’s going to be quite difficult to attain the number of arms needed to fill out their rotation and bullpen.
With payroll expected to drop in 2026, GM Mike Hazen will have to turn to the trade market to make a significant impact.
But acquiring a top-end starter with an ace-like resume will be difficult, both in terms of cost and negotiations with other clubs. Hazen may be forced to fill out his rotation with reliable veterans, rather than expensive prized hurlers.
One such arm that could be both a boost to the D-backs and an affordable trade addition is right-hander Brady Singer, who spent the 2025 season with the Cincinnati Reds.
Brady Singer Could be What Diamondbacks Need
Aug 24, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
While the D-backs would do well to acquire an ace-like starter, what they need more than anything is stability in the rotation. Simply put, they need reliable chunks of innings that are at least of the average to slightly-above-average varierty.
That is exactly what Singer can provide, with the upside of dominant Quality Starts.
Singer pitched to a 3.71 ERA in 2024 and a 4.03 ERA in 2025. That 4.03 figure would have been the second-best ERA in Arizona’s rotation once all of 2025’s transactions and injuries were said and done (with the exception of Nabil Crismatt’s five productive spot starts).
Singer has rarely spent time on the IL, and made 32 starts in back-to-back seasons. His 3.98 FIP bolsters his raw run prevention, and his peripherals have generally been close to or better than his ERA in his six-year major league career.
Singer’s walk numbers rose a bit to 3.18 per nine innings in 2025, but his strikeout and walk numbers have also generally been consistent.
In simple terms, teams know what they’re getting when Singer is on the mound. Arizona needs an arm that gives a predictably solid effort time and time again, especially with the diminishing chances of a Merrill Kelly reunion.
Singer isn’t going to blow anyone away, but he’d be mostly consistent and significantly more affordable than rotationmate Hunter Greene.
Singer, in fact, was traded from the Royals to the Reds ahead of 2025 in exchange for infielder Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer.
The Reds need hitting, and with a season that wasn’t exactly All-Star caliber (and with one fewer year of control), it might not be difficult for the D-backs to get a deal done with Cincinnati without needing to part with Ketel Marte, after all.
Singer is also arbitration-eligible for the next two seasons, so he wouldn’t be a pure rental, though there’s risk of an abridged 2027 due to a potential lockout.
This type of acquisition wouldn’t necessarily make fans incredibly excited, but it may be the exact type of move Arizona has to pivot to this offseason, needing to fill numerous holes on a somewhat strict budget.
Arizona Diamondbacks Latest News