Five Players Who Did Not Play For the Diamondbacks Last Season

Writing for AZ Snake Pit, Makakilo analyzes five players who could hypothetically have played for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2026 season under different circumstances. The hypothetical scenarios include reliever A.J. Puk, minor league prospect Kristian Robinson, free-agent target Ty France, Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer, and pitcher Clay Holmes, exploring how each might have altered the team's fortunes.

The writer argues that signing France would have generated the largest positive impact, estimating Arizona could have gained four additional wins. Conversely, Makakilo believes keeping Ketel Marte instead of trading him for Mayer was beneficial, while suggesting both France and Holmes would make strong potential free-agent targets for the Diamondbacks heading into 2027.