D-backs make two appearances on CBS Sports’ ‘top 30 deals of 2015’
Aug 28, 2015, 1:53 PM
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Despite their lack of activity at the trade deadline, the Arizona Diamondbacks still managed to have a successful trading period according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Heyman ranked the 30 best deals of 2015 and the D-backs made the list twice.
First up is the Robbie Ray trade at No. 21, which had Didi Gregorious going to the New York Yankees. Heyman liked how the deal turned out for the Yankees and D-backs.
Detroit was surprised it could land young right-hander Shane Greene, but after a quick start that made the Yankees look bad early, he’s slipped. Meanwhile, Gregorius has been very good defensively after a rough first couple weeks and has hit .285 since the break, and Ray looks like a talented lefty (“Young left-handers are hard to come by,” notes a rival GM of the 92-93-mph thrower). Greene, unfortunately, just had season-ending surgery.
Maybe more surprising for D-backs fans is the Welington Castillo trade barely making the cut at No. 30.
Arizona’s main intention appeared to be to shed Trumbo’s $6.9-million salary after losing arbitration to him and spending elsewhere, but Castillo has actually out-hit him — by a lot. Trumbo has just eight home runs since the trade while Castillo has 15 (with a superb .925 OPS). Folks also like shortstop prospect Jack Reinheimer, who also went to the D-Backs.
Castillo had a scorching July, hitting .311 with five home runs and eight RBI. While his average has teetered off in August to only.236, his power would not. The catcher has six home runs in August, bringing his total to 15 for the D-backs in 56 games.
Overall, Castillo is hitting .271 for the season in Arizona, after hitting only .163 in Chicago and .160 in Seattle.
Ray’s record of 3-10 is not favorable, but he has the lowest ERA of the four regulars in the starting rotation.