PHOENIX — A few hours after the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, the Seattle Mariners turned a 5-4-3 double play against the Texas Rangers that started with third baseman Eugenio Suarez and ended with first baseman Josh Naylor.
The Arizona Diamondbacks sent their corner infielders to the Mariners in separate deals at the trade deadline, as they admitted defeat on this season and turned in expiring contracts for young assets.
The D-backs still have another 53 games to play over two months. So, who is going to fill those roles?
Naylor was traded last week, and Tristin English is finally getting an opportunity to show what he can do at the big league level as a 28-year-old. The production has been slow in a 2-for-22 start. He’s received everyday reps with Pavin Smith still on the injured list with an oblique strain.
Tyler Locklear is the newest Diamondbacks hitter and someone who will start seeing that playing time at first base.
The 24-year-old came over from Seattle in the Suarez trade as a right-handed bat on a tear this month in Triple-A after making some adjustments to his set up. With a .942 OPS and 18 home runs in Triple-A Tacoma, he earned a recall on Wednesday right before getting traded, but he will remain in the big leagues right away for Arizona.
“He’s always raked and he’s got a good approach,” general manager Mike Hazen said. “He has the ability to get on base, a lot of the things we value offensively. We’re gonna work really hard with him at first base, but as a young first baseman that we feel like has the power and the bat potential to be a good player for us.”
What the position looks like when Smith gets back is a question, but as the prize hitter acquired during the deadline, Locklear should be given every opportunity to show whether or not he’s someone to build around moving into 2026 and 2027. The Diamondbacks acquired mostly prospects in the upper minors for a reason, to retool and return to contention without a full tear-down.
Over at third base, the main character is top prospect Jordan Lawlar.
Lawlar is on the minor league injured list with a hamstring strain but is not expected to miss much more time.
“He will be finishing up his rehab here in the next few days,” Hazen said. “We should get him back on his feet and into games, likely in Reno, and then we’ll decide from there.”
His first MLB recall of the season went poorly, as he finished 0-for-19 with a couple deer-in-headlights moments and was sent back down. He’s crushed Triple-A pitching in pretty much every opportunity he’s gotten (.993 OPS with Reno this season), but major league breaking balls and sequencing are different animals.
With Suarez gone, this appears to be the best opportunity to give Lawlar everyday run to see if he can get going at this level.
In the meantime, Blaze Alexander was the active backup who will see playing time in Suarez’s place, while Tim Tawa is an option in Triple-A to come back up.
Veteran Ildemaro Vargas is on the IL and working his way back from a fractured foot, so once he’s healthy, he gives the D-backs another option.
Potential Diamondbacks September starters:
C: Gabriel Moreno
1B: Tyler Locklear
2B: Ketel Marte
3B: Jordan Lawlar
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
LF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
CF: Alek Thomas/Jake McCarthy
RF: Corbin Carroll
DH: Pavin Smith/Adrian Del Castillo
