Alexis Diaz Landing Spots: 3 potential teams that will be perfect fit for ex-Dodgers pitcher after getting DFA’d

Alexis Diaz was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers after a short stint with the club. He was acquired by the team ahead of the trade deadline from the Cincinnati Reds. Diaz was demoted to the minor leagues by both teams but failed to make an impression.

The 28-year-old reliever had a high 12.00 ERA in 6.0 innings for the Reds. At their AAA affiliate, Louisville, he went 1-2 with a 4.61 ERA in 13.2 innings. In Los Angeles, he had a 1-0, 5.00 ERA in the majors in 9.0 innings thrown and 0-1, 8.10 ERA in 10.0 innings with the Triple-A team, Oklahoma.

Alexis Diaz had avoided arbitration in the past year with the Reds, signing a one-year $4.5 million contract. As he was DFA'd in September, Diaz will not be eligible for the postseason.

Here's taking a look at some other teams that could sign him:

Athletics

The Athletics, who have a high 4.84 ERA this season, are in a rebuild phase and can afford to give a minor-league tryout to someone like Alexis Diaz. He still has two years of club control left, which could mean enough time for the A's to work on him if the reliever can be saved.

The Athletics could also use Diaz as a fill-in arm in September to give rest to some of their relievers, like Justin Sterner and Hogan Harris, who have pitched more than 50.0 innings this season.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays have historically been a franchise that has looked to experiment with failing arms and 'fix' them. Relievers like Edwin Uceta and Robert Stephenson have been developed by the franchise and gone on to pitch well. A similar story can unfold with Alexis Diaz.

The Rays have also put their names in the hat for contention, currently 2.0 games outside the Wild Card standings, and could use Diaz as a setup man.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals have the worst bullpen this season with a 5.35 ERA. There have been concerns with the relative lack of depth in their farm system. Currently, Alexis Diaz requires a long minor-league spell to raise his stock and return to the MLB.

Their Triple-A affiliate, Rochester Red Wings, has the worst record in the International League with a 5.80 ERA.

About the author

Nikhil Parshy is a baseball and ice hockey journalist at Sportskeeda, and after starting out as a cricket reporter, he has been an analyst with SK since November 2022. His interest in the sports were piqued a few years back after watching highlights on YouTube and he has followed the game ever since.

The Chicago Cubs breaking the 108-year curse in 2016 to lift the World Series remains Nikhil's favorite baseball moment. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been his favorite player ever since he started following the game, while the LA Dodgers are his favorite team.

As a writer, Nikhil maintains a strong attention to detail and rigorously cross-checks information. He seeks to strike a balance in his writing such that the regular reader gains an insight into player profiles, while also keeping in mind that the non-regular reader is not put off by jargon and shallow analysis.

Nikhil is an avid public speaker, and when not writing about baseball, he regularly participates in debates and quizzes.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra