Diamondbacks Officially Cut Ties With 9-Year MLB Veteran

The Arizona Diamondbacks have released right-hander Zack Littell, ending a brief and uneven stay that lasted barely two weeks.

Arizona signed Littell to a one-year major league deal on Aug. 9 after Washington released him from a $7 million contract. The Nationals remained on the hook for nearly all of that money; the Diamondbacks owed only the prorated major league minimum.

The club needed innings. Injuries had thinned the rotation, and Littell, a 30-year-old swingman, offered length as a long reliever or bulk arm behind an opener.

He made an immediate impression. In his debut, Littell threw the final 4 2/3 innings of a 9-0 shutout of the Colorado Rockies and earned the win after starter Michael Soroka left on a limited pitch count. That outing looked like the exact depth piece Arizona wanted.

The next two appearances did not. Littell allowed 12 runs over 7 1/3 innings and surrendered five home runs. Combined with Washington, he finished the season so far 8-8 with a 5.21 ERA in 26 games (14 starts).

Home runs have been the persistent problem: he has allowed 30 this year after giving up 36 last season and ranks among the league leaders in that category since 2025. He still limits walks, but a modest strikeout rate and below-average stuff left little margin when balls started leaving the park.

On Aug. 23 the Diamondbacks designated him for assignment when they reinstated Drey Jameson from the injured list and also placed Soroka back on the IL.

Three days later, they placed Littell on release waivers. Assuming he goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent again.

The move is low-cost roster housekeeping. Jameson and Gerardo Carrillo give Arizona fresher arms for long relief and low-leverage work as the club tries to stay in the National League West race.

For Littell, the path is familiar. He has pitched for seven organizations across nine major league seasons (42-37, 4.11 ERA in 260 appearances).

Another team looking for a veteran who can eat innings in September could still offer a major league or minor league deal. After two clubs in three weeks, he may have to accept the latter.

Arizona’s experiment with Littell was short, cheap, and ultimately unsuccessful. The debut win was real. The homers that followed decided the rest.