Diamondbacks Acquire Paul Sewald
The Diamondbacks are going for it! The D-Backs, AKA the fighting Corbin Carroll’s, have made a move to beef up their bullpen. Mariners closer Paul Sewald has been dealt to Arizona.
Jeff Passan at ESPN was the first to report the news:
BREAKING: The Arizona Diamondbacks are finalizing a trade to acquire closer Paul Sewald from the Seattle Mariners, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2023
Passan has given us an update on the return. Josh Rojas, Dominic Canzone, and Ryan Bliss will head to Seattle in return for Sewald. On the surface, it looks like a terrible return for Sewald. Both Rojas and Canzone are on the big league roster. Canzone, 25, is hitting .237 with one homer. Rojas, 28, is hitting .228 with zero homers. Bliss is the 29th-ranked prospect in Arizona’s system. It’s hard to understand the motive here for Seattle.
We actually do have a prior post on Sewald in the database if you can believe it. I did a breakdown on what changed for Sewald in Seattle. Don’t forget, he was TERRIBLE with the Mets sporting an ERA of 5.50 during his tenure in New York.
Sewald, 33, has 21 saves on the season while pitching toward an ERA of 2.93 on the season. The former Mariner also has posted a career-best 2.98 FIP.
For Arizona, this deal makes a ton of sense. Sewald is under contract through 2024. He’s also the new closer as Kevin Ginkel can slot down the pecking order a tad. Arizona needed more pen help and they got it.
Arizona actually has a shot at this thing. The D-Backs sit 56-50 on the season and just four games out of first in the NL West. They’re very much in the mix for a wildcard spot as well.
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