Diamondbacks' latest loss should seal team's trade deadline fate

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez made himself even more attractive to potential MLB trade deadline buyers on Monday after hitting his fifth home run in three games.

Paired with the Diamondbacks falling to the Houston Astros, 6-3, that should be all the organization needs to see to part with the soon-to-be free agent slugger.

The Diamondbacks (50-51) fell below .500 with Monday's loss, snapping a four-game winning streak that may have given them false hope about a potential late-season surge.

Instead of making a futile attempt at reaching the playoffs, Arizona would be wiser to become sellers at the deadline and turn its attention to 2026 and beyond.

The Diamondbacks entered Tuesday 5.5 games behind the San Diego Padres (55-45) for the NL's third wild-card spot and also behind the St. Louis Cardinals (52-49), San Francisco Giants (52-49) and Cincinnati Reds (52-49) in the standings.

Arizona has a promising +17 run differential, but its pitching has been abysmal. The Diamondbacks are one of three NL teams that have allowed at least 500 runs this season, joining the lowly Colorado Rockies (24-76) and Washington Nationals (40-60).

Prized free-agent acquisition Corbin Burnes, who had an excellent 2.66 earned run average in 11 starts, underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in June, making the team's path to contention even more difficult.

Suarez, a pending free agent who was recently named an All-Star for the second time in his 12-year MLB career, leads the NL with 36 home runs and 86 RBI this season. He's slashing .257/.328/.605 in 408 plate appearances. 

Per Baseball Savant, Suarez has exceptional barrel (15.3 percent) and hard hit rates (51.5 percent). He could swing the playoff picture in the right situation.

Plenty of contenders could use Suarez in their lineups. The Yankees might be the most obvious destination, especially after Oswald Peraza continued to look unplayable in Monday's 4-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

But they aren't alone. The New York Mets (57-44) have been patient (perhaps too patient) with struggling fourth-year third baseman Mark Vientos, who has slashed .222/.275/.351 in 269 plate appearances this season.

Per Baseball Reference, the Mets are No. 23 in third base wins above replacement (WAR) at -0.4. 

The Chicago Cubs (59-41) haven't been much better at the position, ranking 21st in third base WAR (-0.3), with rookie Matt Shaw off to a rocky start in his first 67 games.

Chicago, which is second in the majors in runs scored (527), would have an even more devastating lineup with Suarez in the middle of it.

For Arizona, dealing Suarez could give it an opportunity to replenish its minor league stock.

According to MLB.com's preseason rankings, the Diamondbacks rank No. 22 in major league farm systems — they were No. 3 just two seasons ago — with only one player, shortstop Jordan Lawlar, among the top 100 MLB prospects.

Lawlar, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft straight out of high school, failed to record a hit in 19 at-bats this season. He's fared much better with the Triple-A Reno Aces, slashing .319/.410/.583 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 250 plate appearances.

With Arizona's likelihood of making the playoffs dimming and the franchise lacking valuable homegrown prospects, dealing Suarez might be its best path forward. But that doesn't mean it's the road the Diamondbacks will take.