Which Diamondbacks are entering free agency?

The World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers is three games in, and the offseason will get moving quickly once the final out is recorded.

Champagne showers could start as soon as Tuesday with the Brewers up 3-0 or as late as Halloween Saturday.

Teams and players will have five days at the conclusion of the Fall Classic to make decisions on options, qualifying offers must be made and players will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list. The general manager meetings start on Nov. 9, which are usually not as lively as the winter meetings, but the collective bargaining agreement expiring on Dec. 1 may change the dynamic, considering the threat of a lockout.

For the Arizona Diamondbacks, several pitchers both from the starting rotation and bullpen will officially become free agents, two of whom are among the longest tenured players in the organization: Zac Gallen and Kevin Ginkel.

As the offseason is set to hit a critical point for roster movement, here is the list of Diamondbacks free agents, some of whom are fits to return and others far from it, sorted from longest tenured to shortest. The list does not include players who were designated for assignment and off the 40-man roster at the end of the season, such as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. or Derek Law.

Diamondbacks free agents

(Arizona Sports Photo/Alex Weiner)

RHP Kevin Ginkel: 67.2 IP, 4.12 ERA, 3.50 FIP, 1.12 WHIP

Ginkel became the third pitcher in Diamondbacks history to appear in 300 games for the franchise this past season. He owns the team record for most strikeouts from a reliever. He is an Arizona Wildcats alum drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2016 and has only pitched for one organization.

Ginkel has been a mainstay of the bullpen for a long time, reaching a peak in 2023 when he established himself as the setup man for a pennant-winning club.

This past season, Ginkel led the D-backs with a career-high 74 appearances, in 57 of which he did not allow an earned run, as he finished with a 4.12 ERA.

The right-hander will be 33 years old on Opening Day 2027 and has already posted “Thank you, Arizona” on his Instagram.

RHP Zac Gallen: 105.1 IP, 6.07 ERA, 5.34 FIP, 1.55 WHIP

Gallen is fourth in franchise history in starts and innings pitched. He is second in strikeouts behind Randy Johnson. Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez are the only two Diamondbacks starting pitchers to make an All-Star Game in the 2020s.

But Gallen is coming off the worst season of his career by far, made worse by the fact that he re-signed with the D-backs for $22.03 million last offseason.

Gallen was one of six pitchers with at least 100 innings and an ERA over 6.00 in 2026, and the other five were either members of the Colorado Rockies or Athletics.

The Diamondbacks showed zero trust in giving him meaningful innings in must-win situations during the final week of the season, suggesting the 31-year-old’s final act with the franchise was likely an inning of garbage time in Game 160.

RHP Ryan Thompson: 40.2 IP, 4.43 ERA, 3.81 FIP, 1.57 WHIP

Thompson joined the Diamondbacks as a flier in 2023 and quickly became a high leverage arm for the postseason push and run. In parts of four seasons, Thompson had more ups than downs with a cumulative 3.51 ERA in 174 games.

The 34-year-old submariner made his last appearance on Aug. 4, as a back issue ended his season with a 4.43 ERA and 1.57 WHIP, both highs for his D-backs tenure.

LHP A.J. Puk: N/A

Puk has gone nearly two years since his last major league appearance due to injuries, as the hulking 6-foot-7 southpaw last threw for the D-backs on April 17, 2025.

With the D-backs, Puk made 38 appearances with a 1.78 ERA and six saves, but setbacks during his injury recovery after elbow surgery in 2025 kept him away from the mound in 2026.

When right, Puk can pump an upper-90s mph heater and put away hitters without a wipeout slider. He will turn 32 years old in April and may need to sign a prove-it deal to show he is good to go from a health perspective. Spotrac estimated him at $1.3 million, right around what the D-bacs paid for Taylor Clarke last offseason.

UTL Ildemaro Vargas: 486 PA, .254 BA, .675 OPS 

Vargas signed a minor league deal last offseason and ended up playing the fourth most games on the Diamondbacks in 2026.

The 10-year veteran is 35 years old and a streaky hitter, but he remained valuable as a utility player who hit lefties extremely well (.321 average) and provided the best vibes in the clubhouse, as Geraldo Perdomo put it.

C James McCann: 166 PA, .282 BA, .766 OPS

McCann will be 37 years old next June after he was one of five players to catch in his age 36 or older season this past year.

The veteran hit well when healthy with a .766 OPS and seven home runs in 51 games played and provides value as a trusted game-caller and hand behind the plate even with declining metrics as a catcher.

RHP Michael Soroka ($10 million mutual option): 116 IP, 3.40 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 1.09 WHIP

Soroka signed with the D-backs having made 57 appearances over the previous six seasons, but he was confident that this year would be different. He was right, as Soroka pitched 116 innings with a 3.41 ERA, his best campaign since 2019. He missed time with a glute strain and some shoulder inflammation, but his 1.09 WHIP was the lowest among Arizona starters while his 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings were the highest.

Soroka’s age at 29 and effectiveness would typically lead to a nice payday, but teams will have to consider the injury risks. Soroka and the D-backs have expressed mutual interest in a reunion.

RHP Taylor Clarke: 73 IP, 2.96 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 1.00 WHIP

Clarke did not make a major league appearance in 2024, as he was a Triple-A pitcher. Over the two years since then, Clarke has made 122 MLB appearances with a 3.09 ERA.

The 33-year-old was a Swiss-army knife for the D-backs this past season and was a very specific flavor of pitcher. He had one of the lowest walk rates and one of the lowest strikeouts rates in the league, as he relied on weak contact and good defense behind him while inherited runners were sometimes an issue. His peripherals were not as dazzling, so the D-backs would have to evaluate how replicable his successful 2026 campaign can be.

Jonathan Loaisiga: 67 IP, 2.42 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 1.03 WHIP

Like Soroka, Loaisiga had a checkered injury history when the D-backs took a flier on him, and he paid off immensely. Loaisiga threw 67 innings with a 2.42 ERA and elite peripherals, including one of the lowest average exit velocities allowed in MLB (85.2 mph).

He will be 32 years old next season, and this looks like his opportunity to cash in.

RHP Dennis Santana: 15 IP, 4.20 ERA, 4.23 FIP, 1.20 WHIP

The D-backs added Santana for the final two months of the season and the marriage started off quit well. He allowed one earned run over his first 12 innings before a rough final couple appearances. The 30-year-old took over as Pittsburgh’s closer in 2025 but had some real stinkers that led to his release this past season.

The question for teams is whether he showed enough positives in Arizona to suggest he is a viable bounce back candidate for 2027.

Key offseason dates

Day after World Series: Players can re-sign with their clubs, teams can extend qualifying offers

Five days after World Series: Free agency opens up

Nov. 9-12: GM meetings in Las Vegas

Nov. 17-19: Owners meetings in New York

Nov. 17: Deadline to protect players from Rule 5 Draft

Nov. 20: Non-tender deadline

Dec. 1: CBA expires

Dec. 7-9: Winter meetings in San Diego, barring a lockout

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