Report: D-Backs add themselves to Greinke sweepstakes
The Arizona Diamondbacks aggressively pursued Johnny Cueto early in the off-season, reportedly offering the right-hander a $120-million deal, which he rejected. Now, they've apparently turned their sights to a more luxurious option in Zack Greinke.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports the Diamondbacks are pursuing the free-agent pitcher, who currently stands as the richest prize on the open market after David Price officially signed with the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
Greinke has been weighing a decision between joining the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, but if the Diamondbacks can soar in and outbid their National League West rivals, they'd certainly put themselves in contention as a front-runner for a pennant.
Arizona boasts one of the top offenses in the NL, led by MVP runner-up Paul Goldschmidt, five-tool outfielder A.J. Pollock, and power-hitting David Peralta. Their pitching was a concern in 2015, but that could be instantly transformed with the addition of Greinke.
PROJECTED ROTATION
| PITCHER | W-L | IP | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Corbin | 6-5 | 85 | 3.60 | 78 |
| Rubby De La Rosa | 14-9 | 188 2/3 | 4.67 | 150 |
| Robbie Ray | 5-12 | 127 2/3 | 3.52 | 119 |
| Archie Bradley | 2-3 | 35 2/3 | 5.80 | 23 |
| Chase Anderson | 6-6 | 152 2/3 | 4.30 | 111 |
Greinke finished second in the NL Cy Young race behind Jake Arrieta after posting a 19-3 record while leading all of baseball in ERA (1.66), and WHIP (0.84).