What the D-backs did on trade deadline day: A timeline

In the beginning, it seemed like the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2019 MLB trade deadline was going to be more about what they didn’t do, rather than what they did.

After the 1 p.m. deadline passed and reports of their final actions started pouring in, everyone quickly realized what a busy day it was for the D-backs.

Gone is ace Zack Greinke, along with Jazz Chisholm and John Ryan Murphy in separate trades, bringing a number of prospects and a veteran arm back to the Valley.

In the weeks and days leading up to the deadline, it seemed like D-backs starter Robbie Ray was the most likely player to get moved. Outfielder Jarrod Dyson and reliever Andrew Chafin were also mentioned in reports quite a bit, but all three of those players ended up staying with the team.

Here’s how Wednesday played out for the D-backs:

8:46 a.m. – Astros “focused” on Robbie Ray

Ray’s name was included once again in trade rumors early on Wednesday morning.

Reported by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, the Houston Astros were having conversations on adding a starter, with the focus on either Ray or Ney York Mets’ Zack Wheeler.

Houston would later add a D-backs starter, just not Ray.

10:54 a.m. – Robbie Ray talks with Yanks “dead”

Reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, discussions between the D-backs and Yankees — a team that was involved in numerous trade rumors for the pitcher — fell “dead” just before 11 a.m.

MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported the talks stalled after Arizona asked for Clint Frazier and three prospects for Ray.

11:48 a.m. – D-backs trade Jazz Chisholm for Zac Gallen 

Things began to heat up just before noon on Wednesday as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the D-backs had traded their No. 1 prospect, infielder Jazz Chisholm, to the Marlins in exchange for one of Miami’s top prospects in pitcher Zac Gallen.

In addition to the trade, utility man Blake Swihart was transferred to the 60-day injured list with a strained right oblique.

The 23-year-old Gallen is the No. 5-rated prospect in the Marlins’ system, according to MLB Pipeline.

After putting up a 1.77 ERA in Triple-A this year, the right-hander has put up a 2.72 ERA in seven major league starts in his rookie season. His WHIP sits at 1.183, and he has a solid 10.7 strikeouts per nine. His walks have been a bit of a factor as he owns a 4.5 walks-per-nine rate, but he’s proven effective so far for Miami.

11:51 a.m. – More from Yankees trade talks

More details came from the Yankees and D-backs stalled talks on Ray.

Heyman reported the team asked New York for not only Frazier but also Clarke Schmidt as part of a deal for the pitcher.

12:28 p.m. – John Ryan Murphy heads to Atlanta

About 40 minutes after Arizona’s first reported trade, they made another, sending catcher John Ryan Murphy to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations.

Murphy, who was in the minors, represented the odd man out in the D-backs’ catcher rotation, with Carson Kelly and Alex Avila manning the duties behind the plate.

The 28-year-old catcher spent the last three seasons with the D-backs, hitting .195 with 13 homers in 117 games. This season with the team, Murphy was hitting .177 with four dingers before being designated for assignment.

1:08 p.m. – Mike Leake returns to the desert

Another 40 minutes, another reported trade.

First reported by Heyman, the D-backs stayed busy, acquiring RHP Mike Leake from Seattle. In return, the team sent Single-A outfielder Jose Caballero to the Mariners. AZCentral’s Nick Piecoro was the first to report the compensation for Leake.

Leake, an Arizona State graduate who has pitched for the Reds, Giants, Cardinals and Mariners, owns a 4.40 ERA this season for Seattle. The 31-year-old right-hander has tossed two complete games, owns a minuscule 1.2 walks per nine with a 1.255 WHIP.

For his career, the veteran pitcher has a 4.05 ERA.

Caballero is not ranked in MLB Pipeline’s D-backs top-30 prospects. The 22-year-old was playing with High-A Visalia and batting .268 with three home runs in 43 games this year.

1:13 p.m. – The D-backs trade their ace

With the ink still drying on the Leake deal, the D-backs turned around and made their biggest move of the trade deadline.

First reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Arizona traded ace Zack Greinke to the Houston Astros in return for four prospects. 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s John Gambadoro confirmed the four prospects soon after as first baseman/outfielder Seth Beer, right-handed pitcher J.B. Bukauskas, right-handed pitcher Corbin Martin and infielder/outfielder Joshua Rojas.

According to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark, the Greinke deal came down to the last “couple seconds” of the trade deadline.

“It didn’t in its conception come together late,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said following the trade deadline. “The execution of it came together very late as most of these things do.

“We had been talking about it for a little bit … up to the last day or so.”

According to Baseball America, the four players were top-20 prospects in the Astros’ system.

Greinke signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract before the 2016 season, taking his current deal through 2021.

He has remained relatively healthy during his three-plus years as a D-back, playing in 113 games and going 55-29 with a 3.40 ERA and 1.093 WHIP with Arizona before his last start against the Yankees on Wednesday. Greinke threw 82 pitches over 5.0 innings before being pulled coming out of a rain delay.

The D-backs will pay $24 million of the remaining $77 million owed to Greinke, Gambadoro reports.

Greinke went 10-4 this season with a 2.87 ERA and 0.94 WHIP, the latter of which would be the second-best in his career for a single season.

The D-backs will pay $24 million of the remaining $77 million owed to Greinke, Gambadoro reports.

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