D-Backs Looking At Right-Handed Bench Bat

The Diamondbacks signed late last month and plan to use him as their primary designated hitter, but the Snakes remain on the lookout for a right-handed bat to pair with Pederson, . Among the names theyre considering are , and , he adds. Beyond Pederson at designated hitter, Arizona also has lefties in center field ( ) and in right field ( ). The teams re-signing of on a three-year pact helped to balance out an all-lefty outfield mix, but in the event that Gurriel mi ses any time, the top option to replace him would be lefty-swinging . As such, theres reason to have interest in a right-handed outfield bat beyond simply wanting a platoon partner for Pederson. The mere po sibility of Pederson and Pham on the same roster will prompt boundle s quips , but the two would form a rather natural platoon in Arizonas DH slot. Pederson has made a career of slugging against right-handed pitching (.242/.344/.490) but carries a bleak .209/.293/.329 slash against lefties including a .186/.327/.279 output with the Giants in 2023. Pham, meanwhile, is a .271/.381/.453 hitter against southpaws. Pham, 36 next month, hit .262/.332/.435 against lefties in Kenta Maeda Jersey 2023 a season split between the Mets and the D-backs. Its not the first time this winter that Arizona has been linked to a reunion with Pham, and their ongoing interest suggests that beyond giving the Snakes a useful right-handed bat, he was a good fit in the teams clubhouse. Defensively, Pham is primarily a left fielder at this stage of his career. He did log 45 frames in center last season, but he hasnt played the position even semi-regularly since 2018. Duvall, who turned 35 in September, has generally even splits in his career: .232/.301/.469 against lefties and .232/.287/.473 against righties. He strikes out a bit more and walks a bit le s against right-handers but doesnt overwhelmingly favor pitchers of either handedne s. That might make him a suboptimal platoon partner for Pederson, but it does give him some more utility of the D-backs incur injuries in their outfield and/or at designated hitter, with Pederson. Duvall graded out as an elite corner outfield defender earlier in his career, but metrics like Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average have viewed him as more of an average outfielder as he progre ses into his mid-30s. The Red Sox did give Duvall a career-high 478 innings in center field last season, though the results werent what the team had hoped (-5 DRS, -4 OAA). At 32 years old, Grichuk offers a younger version of a comparable skill set. Hes a career .267/.315/.507 hitter against left-handed pitching and has experience at all three outfield positions. Though he drew strong grades for his center field defense earlier in his career, defensive metrics have increasingly panned his work there. Grichuk is still a capable corner outfielder with average speed and above-average arm strength, and last years ma sive .328/.388/.607 slash against southpaws is particularly appealing for a team specifically looking for help against lefties. The Diamondbacks currently project for a $142MM payroll, , which would top their prior franchise record by nearly $11MM. That apparently wont stop general manager Mike Hazen and his staff from pursuing further upgrades in free agency. None of Pham, Grichuk or Duvall will break the bank all could likely be had on one-year contracts but every dollar spent on payroll at this point pushes the D-backs further into uncharted territory. Dustin Peterson Jersey