Diamondbacks Fans Shouldn't Panic at Lack of Moves So Far

Despite a quiet offseason to date, the team is still in a good position and has plenty of time to improve the roster

Assistant general manager Amiel Sawdaye, general manager Mike Hazen, and manager Torey Lovullo during batting practice at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Oct. 8, 2023. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Arizona Diamondbacks have yet to make any significant moves this offseason to upgrade the roster. Outside of waiver wire pickup Seth Martinez in early November, they've not added any players to the 40-man roster from outside the organization.

Recently MLB just held their annual winter meetings, and while there were some big signings and trades that took place during the meetings and immediately after, so far the Diamondbacks have not been a part of any of those deals.

As a journalist who covers the team, it can indeed be a little frustrating not to have any concrete news to report, or trades or signings to analyze. Fans watching from the sidelines are frustrated too, seeing other teams improve while the D-backs appear to be standing still.

With all that said, the Diamondbacks are still in a strong position to compete for a Wild Card berth in 2025 before they've even added to the roster. The below table show the current depth chart projections at Fangraphs, isolating just the National League. I've separated it into four tiers.

FG Depth Chart Projections for NL as of December 17 / Jack Sommers

The New York Mets adding Juan Soto, along with Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes, have elevated themselves out of the second tier and into the first. That of course is a concern for the Diamondbacks, as it was the Mets, along with the Braves, who pipped Arizona by just one game in 2024, keeping them out of the Postseason.

The Chicago Cubs meanwhile, have lifted themselves from the third tier to the second with the trade for superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker, and the perhaps shrewd signing of Mathew Boyd, who projects well despite a long injury history.

Once the D-backs do make their moves, their projections will get a bump too. The reality is that the D-backs were never contenders for any of the free agents at the top of the market anyway. Their potential targets are in the second and third tier of free agent hitters and pitchers.

That is because the team has roughly $25-35 million to spend or add to the payroll before they reach 2024 spending levels. They have trade capital too however. Other teams are interested in their starting pitching and center field depth (although apparently not Jordan Montgomery).

It may not be sexy, but the D-back are already working off a relatively high platform with a strong core of talent. A big part of the projection above includes a good deal of bounce back for their starting pitching, which may or may not come to pass. These are projections, after all, not predictions. Mike Hazen is very confident in his starting pitching depth however.

The trade of Devin Williams to the Yankees is disappointing for the D-backs, not only due to missing out on a player they were interested in, but also due to the high price paid. But there are still plenty of options via free agency or trade to add to the back end of the bullpen.

One other point that is clearly illustrated in the table above. There are really only three teams that you project to have no real shot at a playoff spot in 2025, the Marlins, Nationals, and Rockies. And even the Marlins with their good young pitching could be surprise contenders again if some of their hitters break out.

This is why Mike Hazen said during the winter meetings that virtually few teams are interested in trading major leaguers for prospects. With the third Wild Card, almost the entire National League has something to play for and a shot at a Postseason spot. As much as people have been bemoaning the dominance of the big market teams this offseason, parity is alive and well in the NL.

Getting to the dance is all that matters. Once you're in the playoffs, anything can, and often does happen. The 2023 Diamondbacks reaching the World Series are a prime example of that fact.

Be sure to check out our other articles tracking the offseason. There are many free agent and trade targets that have been written about, laying out the pros and cons of each.

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