The Arizona Diamondbacks have been active this winter and most recently they have agreed to sign right hander Brandon McCarthy to a two-year, $15.5 million deal. The completion of the deal is now pending a physical.
For the D'Backs this means one thing, even if they somehow end up without Justin Upton, they will at least have a decent pitching staff.
McCarthy joins a starting rotation headed by Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill and rookie Wade Miley. Cahill was a former teammate of McCarthy as they were both Oakland Athletics in 2011.
Kennedy and Cahill are inning eaters pitching over 200 innings in 2012. Miley, who was a rookie and finished second to Bryce Harper for ROY votes, pitched 194 innings and was a sensation in 2012.
McCarthy finished his two seasons in Oakland with a 17-15 record, 3.29 ERA, he made 44 starts pitched 281.2 innings, struck out 196 and only walked 49 batters.
As his stats show, McCarthy's stuff goes beyond just a win/loss record.
The Diamondbacks want to probably make one more move and that's acquire a shortstop. Currently, their road to filling in this hole might be via trade as there have been multiple rumors of a "blockbuster" that could possibly involve four teams. The D'Backs would give up Upton in that deal.
For now, however, the D'Backs did what was best for them as they continued working on bettering their starting rotation. Barring a trade or a sudden retirement from McCarthy, Cahill, Kennedy or Miley, this Diamondbacks' pitching rotation could be together until 2016.
