Kendrick discussed this topic during his conversation with Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic and other reporters at the Diamondbacks’ spring camp, who simply said:Well, sometimes in life you surprise yourself by what you do.” The D’Backs are set for their third straight pay raise since the team won the NL pennant in 2023, and while they haven’t returned to the postseason since, Kendrick remains committed to keeping the team in a position to compete.
“I want us to be successful. I want our fans to feel that we are committed to investing every dollar possible and putting the best team on the field… I don’t want to overstate it, but to some extent we have a partnership with the fanssaid Kendrick.That’s the way I see what we do. We have partnered with our fans. They generate income by buying tickets, coming to ball games and supporting us. And as a good partner, we have to invest the money they spend wisely, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
The spending may not be over yet, as Kendrick said: “we have some space outside where we are, but we don’t have much space… Do we have the ability to add anything from the current moment? Yes, possible. This is unlikely to be significant, but we can add something without running into a tax problem.”
The D’backs are still well under the $244 million luxury tax threshold, although their current figure of $223.7 million has never crossed the tax line. While Kendrick has apparently already approved larger spending, it’s probably safe to assume that $244 million is the budget ceiling for Arizona, though the team has some room to maneuver when it comes to trade deadline upgrades.
Expanding the payroll has reportedly put the D’Backs in the red, as Piecoro hears from sources that the club is set to lose around $30 million by 2025. It’s always a source of conjecture as to how much or little an MLB team (apart from the state-owned Braves) actually makes given all the accounting data that goes into a club’s many revenue streams, but even if the Diamondbacks were to operate at a loss, that hasn’t stopped Kendrick from continuing to spend on a roster he believes is capable of great things. Further spending to ensure a more competitive team is perhaps the most logical way to get the team back on track, as a winning product leads to higher attendances, higher TV ratings and additional matches in the form of play-off matches.
More actions could take place before Opening Day, albeit on a lower spending scale. John Gambadoro of 98.7 Arizona Sports writes that the D’Backs are looking to trade a prospect for a utility-type player. This new addition would replace the recently traded one Blow Alexander as a multi-position asset coming off the Diamondbacks’ bench. While an exact match may not be a priority for Alexander, Alexander is a right-handed hitter who saw time at second base, third base, shortstop, left field and center field during his two seasons in the desert.
The bulk of Arizona’s offseason spending was invested in two familiar faces. Zac Gallen spent most of the winter on the free agent market after rejecting Arizona’s qualifying offer, but this past week he returned to the fold with a one-year, $22.025 million deal that technically matches the value of the QO, although $14 million of the money has been deferred. After the D’Backs made trade Merrill Kelly to the Rangers at the trade deadline, Kelly was brought back in December on a two-year deal worth $40 million in guaranteed money, with a vesting option for the 2028 season.
Shortly after Kelly re-signed, reports emerged that a West Coast team had made Kelly a three-year offer worth more than $50 million, and that the Padres were one of Kelly’s leading suitors. Speak with Piecoro and other media today, Kelly said the Padres had a three-year deal on the table, although he did not confirm the dollar figure. Aside from the numbers involved, Kelly said his decision was based in large part on his family. It may well be that the Kelly clan simply preferred to return to the familiar routine of living and playing in Arizona, and Kelly himself said last summer, amid trade speculation, that he would be open to a new contract with the Snakes in free agency.
As for an injury update, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Alex Weiner of 98.7 Arizona Sports) that first baseman Tyler Locklear is not expected back until sometime around mid-May or possibly early June. Locklear underwent double surgery to correct both a labrum problem in his left shoulder and a ligament tear in his left elbow. There was some hope that Locklear would be ready to return to the Diamondbacks’ lineup sometime in April, although today’s news provides a more specific timeline.
Locklear will certainly start the season on at least the 10-day injured list, and a move to the 60-day IL would occur if the D’Backs are confident Locklear won’t be ready by the end of May. The team can continue to monitor his progress through Spring Training and into April without penalty, as a shift to the 60-day IL would still keep Locklear’s posting date as Opening Day.
In 47 games and 165 at-bats in his career with the Mariners and Diamondbacks, Locklear has hit just .169/.255/.277 against Major League pitchers. His impressive minor league numbers point to more potential, but once he gets healthy, Locklear’s potential spot as a platoon partner at Pavin Smith at first base is now filled by Carlos Santana. Since Arizona doesn’t have a permanent DH, there is room for Locklear to potentially earn some at-bats, but for the next three months his only priority is completing his rehab.
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