Arizona Diamondbacks Sign Longtime A's Outfielder

According to a recent report from Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors, the Arizona Diamondbacks will be signing former Athletics outfielder Seth Brown. Franco previously reported that Brown had his choice of three clubs in free agency, and recently decided on joining the D-Backs.

Brown, who turns 33 next week, had been the A's longest-tenured player before he was released on June 25. The left-handed bat was selected by the club in the 19th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, and made his big-league debut with the then-Oakland team in 2019. He'd been on the IL with tennis elbow at the time of his release, though he appears to be ready to go now.

Across 568 games spanning parts of seven seasons, Brown had batted .226 with a .292 OBP, a .711 OPS, and 74 home runs. While he hasn't hit for a high average over his career, he's also known to go on some hot streaks where he will just launch home runs. He's topped the 20 home run mark twice in his career, peaking in 2022 when he hit 25 in 150 games played.

The veteran can play all three outfield positions, though he's best suited for a corner spot at this point in his career. With Corbin Carroll on the IL with a chip fracture in his left wrist, the Diamondbacks outfield configuration has a chance to be more fluid with Brown, or at least a new face in a similar role with the club.

In his career, Brown has fared much better against right-handers, batting .234 against them while hitting just .174 against southpaws. He also holds a career 104 wRC+ (100 is league average) against them in the big leagues. The role with Arizona, if this is a MLB deal and not a minor-league one, would likely be to face right-handers. Jake McCarthy (51 wRC+), Tim Tawa (69) and Alek Thomas (82) have all struggled against righties this season.

Brown's potential addition could be seen as a slight upgrade to a team that already has one of the best offenses in baseball, but is missing two key pieces with Gabriel Moreno also out with a fractured finger. Carroll has been one of the best hitters in baseball, while Moreno has been above average at the plate and an unbelievable defensive backstop.

That offense has taken a hit, and the Diamondbacks are looking for ways to make slight improvements so that they don't completely fall out of the hunt for October. As things currently stand, Arizona is 43-42, 10.5 back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, but just 2.5 back in the NL Wild Card hunt.

If the D-Backs can keep on mashing, then they could have a shot to still be in the hunt when both Moreno and Carroll return. Making a modest platoon upgrade in Seth Brown should help them in that goal.