Report: D-backs SS Nick Ahmed drawing interest in trade market
Mar 22, 2017, 5:51 PM | Updated: 8:11 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed throws out Texas Rangers' Joey Gallo during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game Tuesday, March 14, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
The Diamondbacks’ Nick Ahmed is drawing interest on the trade market, and Arizona could be open to dealing him with other capable shortstops on the roster, reports The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro.
The New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays are all interested in acquiring Ahmed, who played in 90 games last year but was shut down after undergoing hip surgery, reports Piecoro.
The Yankees learned this week that shortstop Didi Gregorius will be out for at least a month with a shoulder injury, and NewsDay reports they are open to making a trade for a temporary fill-in player.
ESPN baseball reporter Buster Olney called Ahmed to the Yankees a “perfect fit,” while colleague Tim Kurkjian agreed on the Baseball Tonight Podcast.
“He’s a great defensive shortstop and with the other middle infielders they have on that team, there’s a real question of how much he’s going to play for the Diamondbacks,” Kurkjian said. “I think it makes all the sense in the world.
“I don’t know how much it’s going to cost to get him.”
The Padres’ interest in Ahmed is easy to sniff out.
Manager Andy Green served as a minor-league coach to Ahmed and then was in charge of the defense that featured Ahmed at shortstop for 134 games in 2015.
Ahmed was No. 3 in Defensive Wins Above Replacement in 2015. However, the 27-year-old shortstop has not established himself as a reliable batter. He slashed .226/.275/.359 in 2015, his best offensive year.
Arizona is currently sorting out whether Ahmed, Chris Owings or Ketel Marte will become the starting shortstop on Opening Day.
