The Arizona Diamondbacks have surfaced out of the desert sands and have joined the Jake Peavy Sweepstakes. The rumors have them as the front runners in that race, as sources around baseball believe that the Chicago White Sox will deal the right-hander before the end of the day. If he lands in Arizona, how can Peavy help the second-place D'Backs? Are there any negative sides to this deal?
Since we last checked in with the D'Backs, their starting rotation was in need of a lot of help. Don't call him a savior, but Randall Delgado has given the starting rotation a lift as Ian Kennedy's season has derailed. Patrick Corbin and Delgado are the only two D'Backs with ERA's under 3.00. However, Delgado's contributions have been limited since he's only made eight starts so far this season. He is 3-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched. Corbin continues to amaze, posting a 12-2 record in 21 starts with a 2.24 ERA.
The other starters have not impressed as Corbin is the only D'Back starter with a winning record. Wade Miley is 7-8 with a 3.86 ERA in 21 starts, while Trevor Cahil is 3-10 in 17 starts along with an abysmal 4.66 ERA. Kennedy has looked nothing like an ace going 3-7 with a 5.22 ERA in 20 starts this season.
Peavy can help immediately in Arizona. He is 8-4 (that's already another winning record in the starting rotation) and does not put many runners on base with his 1.14 WHIP. Chase Field can help lower Peavy's home run totals. He's surrendered 14 home runs in 2013, three of which came in his last start at U.S. Cellular Field against the Detroit Tigers.
When comparing U.S. Cellular Field to Chase Field, the outfields are completely different. The corners at U.S. Celluar Field are a bit deeper than those in Chase Field, but Chase Field's gaps are spacious. If Peavy makes a mistake in Chase Field, chances are he could get away with it, especially when pulled to the weird corners of Chase Field. Consequently, as Peavy's home run totals decrease, his ERA will also drop. Peavy is heading into the deadline with a 4.28 ERA. His strikeout totals are decent, whiffing 76 hitters in his 80 innings pitched.
The Diamondbacks are in the thick of the division race. They are in second place behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2.5 games out of first place. They are also in the N.L. Wild Card race, just four games behind the Cincinnati Reds.
Acquiring Peavy would give the team a great presence in the club house and a former ace who knows how to pitch and compete. His acquisition could help the D'Backs through the playoff push in the final two months of the regular season to a playoff berth.