Which free agent designated hitter should the Arizona Diamondbacks sign?

Jorge Soler

Projected contract: 3 years, $45 million

Age: 31

Status: Free agent after opting out of the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract.

Soler has had an uneven career, primarily due to injuries, but when he’s right, Soler can absolutely mash. Over his career, he’s slashed .330/.467/.797 (113 OPS+). In 2023, he hit 36 home runs in 586 plate appearances. (He was healthy until September.)

Here he is ripping it up at Chase Field.

Okay, that’ll play.

Soler has seen some success when playing at Chase Field. In 72 plate appearances, he’s hit five homers and for doubles while slashing .258/.282/.546 with a .827 OPS (102 tOPS+). Not bad.

Still, the value is in Soler’s bat. As an outfielder, he’s accumulated -55 (you read that right) DRS.

What’s good about this? He’s got right-handed power and shown an ability (in a small sample size) to be effective at Chase. Plus, he’s younger than some of the other free-agent options.

What’s less good about this? He’s not always been able to stay healthy. In addition, he’s projected to receive $15 million for three (or multiple) years. The D-backs are a young team looking for a player to tide them over until the prospects are ready. Signing Soler seems like a serious commitment.