Welcome to the first offseason edition of the D-backs Insider Newsletter. The postseason may have ended, but you’ll still get two newsletters per week throughout the offseason as we keep tabs on the D-backs and the Hot Stove. |
The D-backs' brain trust has already turned its attention to the 2024 season as the General Managers Meetings get underway Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. We’ll start looking ahead soon, too, but before we do, let’s take a look back at what was a magical month of October for the D-backs and hand out some playoff awards.
Most Valuable Player: Ketel Marte
Hard to make a case for anyone else as Marte set a Major League record by hitting safely in 20 straight postseason games dating back to the 2017 season.
Marte was named MVP of the National League Championship Series, and his OPS of .914 for the postseason was nearly 150 points better than the next closest D-back. |
Cy Young: Merrill Kelly
A number of pitchers impressed this postseason -- I see you, Kevin Ginkel -- but Kelly came up big when the D-backs needed it most. Whether it was setting the tone against the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Division Series, locking down a win-or-go-home Game 6 against the Phillies in the NLCS or picking up the team’s lone World Series win, Kelly delivered.
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Breakout Player: Brandon Pfaadt
What can you say about Pfaadt? The right-hander overcame a tough start to his big league career to finish the season strong. Then, outside of the first two innings against the Brewers in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series, the rookie was outstanding. He came up big twice for the D-backs in the NLCS, and you could see his confidence continue to rise with each appearance.
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Bounceback Player: Tommy Pham
Hats off to Pham, who was benched in Game 5 of the NLCS and responded by going 9-for-26 the rest of the postseason -- including a home run in Game 6 against the Phillies, another homer in Game 1 of the World Series against the Rangers and a memorable Game 2.
It’s worth remembering what a good teammate Pham was when he asked manager Torey Lovullo to pinch-hit for him in Game 2 of the Fall Classic so that Jace Peterson could get a World Series at-bat. Pham was 4-for-4 at the time and could have become the first player to go 5-for-5 in a World Series game.
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The D-backs declined their mutual contract option on right-hander Mark Melancon, making him a free agent. The option for Melancon, who missed the entire 2023 season due to injury, was for $5 million. Instead, the D-backs paid a $2 million buyout.
Melancon becomes a free agent along with Pham, outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and third baseman Evan Longoria.
• D-backs' injuries and roster moves
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• Nov. 7-9: GM Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Nov. 14: The deadline for players to accept a qualifying offer is 2 p.m. MST (the D-backs do not have any players in this category). The deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft is 4 p.m. MST on this day as well.
• Nov. 17: Tender deadline. Often referred to as the non-tender deadline, 6 p.m. MST is the deadline by which teams must formally tender 2023 contracts to unsigned players, including arbitration-eligible players. If a player is non-tendered, he becomes a free agent.
• Dec. 4-6: Winter Meetings in Nashville, including the MLB Draft lottery on Dec. 5 and the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 6.
• Jan. 12, 2024: Eligible players and their teams exchange arbitration figures.
• Jan. 15, 2024: Start of the new international signing period.
• Fall guide | Important dates
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Here are the D-backs' players eligible for salary arbitration:
RHP Austin Adams
RHP Zac Gallen
RHP Kevin Ginkel
OF Kyle Lewis
LHP Joe Mantiply
RHP Paul Sewald
RHP Ryan Thompson
1B Christian Walker |
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