Marlins trade A.J. Puk to Diamondbacks

Marlins trade A.J. Puk to Diamondbacks

Less than a week away from the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline, the Arizona Diamondbacks have traded southpaw reliever A.J. Puk to the Arizona Diamondbacks, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan was first to report Thursday evening. In exchange, the Diamondbacks were sending infielders Deyvison De Los Santos and Andrew Pintar.

BREAKING: The Arizona Diamondbacks are in agreement on a deal to acquire left-handed reliever A.J. Puk from the Miami Marlins, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 26, 2024

Full deal:

Arizona Diamondbacks receive: left-handed reliever A.J. Puk.

Miami Marlins receive: CIF Deyvison De Los Santos and CF Andrew Pintar.

Deal is done. Diamondbacks get the bullpen arm they've been seeking.

And trade season is officially on.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 26, 2024

Puk will slot in toward the back-end of the Dbacks’ bullpen, which features Kevin Ginkel, Justin Martinez and closer Paul Sewald, who Arizona acquired ahead of last year’s trade deadline.

Puk’s raw numbers have been slightly worse this season–including his ERA and strikeout rate. Though Puk has still been productive in Miami’s bullpen, flashing a 3.62 FIP across 44.0 innings.

He’s in the 97th percentile in Barrel rate allowed, 87th percentile in average exit velocity allowed, 78th percentile in expected batting average and 69th in expected ERA, according to Baseball Savant. His four-seamer and sweeper/slider have been his two best pitches this season, where he’s been able to get great extension and plenty of movement (both vertical and horizontal).

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Arizona is currently 8.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead, though they are only game back of NL West rival San Diego Padres for the third-and-final spot in the Wild Card race.

The Dbacks’ bullpen has been a bottom-third unit this year; to make matters worse, they have the seventh-worst team ERA, FIP and xFIP with the third-worst K-BB% in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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