Arizona Diamondbacks Free Agents and Option Decisions

The D-backs could be looking at some substantial roster turnover at significant positions.

Arizona Diamondbacks first base Christian Walker (53) reacts during interviews after being eliminated from playoff contention at Chase Field on Sept. 30, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks' season is over, and while the MLB Postseason is underway, the team's front office has already started turning its attention to this coming offseason.

Speaking at Tuesday's press conference, Mike Hazen said "We're starting on 2025 now. We're aware of what's ahead of us, and the decisions we're going to need to make."

As they do so, the first thing on the agenda will be to address the departing free agents, and then deal with the option decisions that will be made by the team and players. There are a total of 10 players that are either free agents, or have options decisions to be made.

Free Agents and Qualifying Offers

The day after the World Series ends, those players without contracts beyond the end of the 2024 season immediately become free agents. There is a five day "quiet period" when only their original team may negotiate with that player or his representation or sign a deal.

Teams may choose to make a qualifying offer to a player. That is a one-year deal in the amount of the mean salary of the top 125 paid players in the league. Teams must make that qualifying offer before the end of the quiet period. So who are the free agents?

First Basemen Christian Walker and Josh Bell, along with reliever Paul Sewald, and utility infielder Kevin Newman are four free agents on the team without any kind of options attached to their contracts.

Walker is the only one of these four that might receive the qualifying offer. Alex D'Agostino wrote an in-depth article about Walker's free agency here.

Sewald is a change-of-scenery candidate. Bell was a trade deadline acqusition. He could be viewed as insurance should Walker leave, but he will likely sign with the highest bidder for his services at this point in his career.

Newman attended the University of Arizona and lives in the Phoenix area. He was a key player for the team, filling a utility role and stepping in for injured players. There would seem to be a good fit and a strong chance for the utility player to rejoin the D-backs for the 2025 season.

Club Options

Options can be quite complicated. There are club options, player options, and mutual options. All option decisions must be made by the end of the quiet period as well.

Players with club options include Eugenio Suarez and Merrill Kelly. Suarez's 2025 option is for $15 million, or a $2 million buyout. On the strength of his big second half and 30 homer, 101 RBI season, it's expected his option will be picked up.

Kelly's option is for a very team friendly $7 million with a $1 million buyout. Despite missing almost four months with a shoulder injury, and battling cramps upon his return, Kelly pitched well for the most part. The team will also be picking up his option.

Player Options

Jordan Montgomery's player option vested at $22.5 million for 2025, due to him making more than 18 starts. It is completely up to him whether or not to exercise that option and return to the Diamondbacks in spring training. He could also choose to decline the option and re-enter the free agent market that he struggled with so badly heading into 2024.

Montgomery had a disastrous season, pitching to a 6.23 ERA and 1.650 WHIP in 117 innings. By the last month of the season he was demoted to mop-up relief work. Team owner Ken Kendrick recently expressed regret and took responsibility for signing Montgomery in an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 radio.

Mike Hazen said at the end of the day it was still his own final say as to whether to sign Montgomery, and that it was a group decision. He also expressed the belief that Montgomery will pitch better in 2025. Whether that is as a D-back or elsewhere will be unknown until the end of the quiet period around November 8.

Mutual Options

Mutual options are rarely exercised. If the player had a good year, he may wish to test free agency again, and thus decline his end of the option. If he had a down year, the team is likely to decline their end of the option.

Joc Pederson, Randal Grichuk and Scott McGough each have mutual options. Pederson's option is for $14 million with a $3 million buyout. Grichuk's option is $6 million with a $500K buyout. McGough's is for $4 million with a $750K buyout.

The smart money would be on Pederson and Grichuk both declining their end and testing free agency, as both are coming off excellent seasons. McGough had a second sub-par season with the Diamondbacks and spent a large chunk of the season in Triple-A Reno. His option will almost certainly be declined.