This may not even happen but it’s still sad to think about.
Josh Rojas has been a pivotal piece of Arizona’s puzzle over the last couple of seasons. In the previous two seasons combined, he played a total of 264 games and got on base at a .345 clip. He was also one of the best fielding third basemen in the game.
But this year has unfortunately not been pretty for Rojas. After starting the season 25-87 (.287) he fell flat on his face. After the June 18th game against the Guardians, Rojas saw his OPS dip to a sorry .607.
The Diamondbacks front office had no choice, they had to send Rojas down to Triple-A to figure things out. But guess what? He still hasn’t seemed to find his rhythm.
In 10 Triple-A games, Rojas is batting .220, has an OPS of .597, and he has struck out 10 times in 46 plate appearances.
So here’s the conundrum; We all love Josh Rojas, but The Diamondbacks have a farm system flourishing with talented position players. Plenty of prospects that could take his everyday third base job.
What the Diamondbacks don’t have is reliable pitching. Most of the arms they have sent out to the mound have been shaky at best this season.
This presents a real possibility where Arizona trades a proven veteran (Rojas) to a contender for a pitcher that can eat up some innings for this weary pitching staff.
Yes, Rojas is having a rough season, but maybe a change of scenery can get him back to the player he once was. Though it would prove difficult, this is the trade I would make if I was Mike Hazen…
Pivetta would be a huge upgrade to this pitching staff. Overall he is 7-5 with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.
Nick Pivetta recorded the most strikeouts in a relief appearance in @RedSox history! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/2qdn4ACIdw
— MLB (@MLB) July 18, 2023
After a rough start to the season, Pivetta has settled down nicely. Since June 1, he has pitched 31.2 innings and boasts a 1.73 ERA over that time. He is extremely versatile as he can start games or come out of the bullpen.
He is more effective out of the bullpen but with the streak he is on right now, the D-backs might be able to safely throw him in the rotation. Adding this proven veteran while giving up two struggling veterans would prove to be a steal for Arizona…