Josh Bell providing significant offense for Diamondbacks in relief of Christian Walker

Arizona Diamondbacks trade deadline acquisition Josh Bell was a bit puzzled by the Miami Marlins placing him on waivers after he had arguably his best week of the season coming out of the All-Star break.

The first baseman went on a hit streak over his final seven games with the Marlins with multiple hits in the middle five games. He also hit five home runs to the tune of nine RBIs over that stretch before Miami placed him on waivers and Arizona acquired him.

His arrival couldn’t have come at a better time either, as he stepped almost seamlessly into Christian Walker’s spot at first base after Walker went down with an oblique injury. Just two games passed between Walker’s injury and Bell’s loud two-home run debut for the Diamondbacks.

Bell has kept up the power with another two-homer game since and joined Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Thursday to talk about his new club.

“To be a part of an organization and obviously knowing the scenario here, C-Walk goes down, they need a guy to hold down the fort at first until he gets back,” Bell said. “It’s an awesome opportunity for me to help this team — who’s already hot — continue to go down this streak that we’re on.

“And hopefully I’ll just hold down the fort until C-Walk gets back and I can kick my feet up a little bit and watch these guys continue to roll.”

Bell said familiarity with some of the guys in the clubhouse has helped make his transition an easy one, such as former Marlins teammate reliever and fellow deadline acquisition A.J. Puk or infielder Kevin Newman, who was in different parts of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league system at the same time as Bell.

Newman told Arizona Sports he shot Bell a pumped up text when he heard about the acquisition.

“I’ve seen what he can do, so just excited to have that sort of presence and bat in our lineup,” Newman said, calling Bell a great clubhouse guy who “fits right in.”

“He’s an impact bat,” manager Torey Lovullo said pregame Thursday. “When he steps up to home plate, you just sit forward a little bit, and you know that something could happen where he’s gonna put up a quick point or two. … He’s fearless, walks up there and gets the job done.”

Lovullo expressed most notably with Bell’s hits is the timely nature, such as a home run off Aroldis Chapman to tie a game late or a two-out home run to take a 4-1 lead.

The Marlins were 39-67 when the D-backs, who have the best record in baseball over their last 20 games, traded for Bell.

“To get that phone call and look at the standings and understand how close we are right now … trying to be a part of that, it’s definitely a breath of fresh air,” Bell said.

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