Why your MLB team didn't do what you wanted this winter - ESPN

The last couple of seasons, toward the end of spring training, we've looked at the reasons behind why teams didn't make certain moves during the winter.

Thanks to the glacial pace of this year's hot stove, we had to delay this, because we couldn't ask, «Why the heck didn't my team get X?» when it might then turn around and get X. The letter X, as you probably have guessed, represents a move that entering the offseason, you figured the team might make and then… didn't. The X is different for every team.

Now we're into the regular season, and the top free agents have all latched on with new or old teams, and we've seen more than a week of 2024 rosters in action.

Finally, we can ask: Why the heck didn't my team get X?

Why the heck didn't the Diamondbacks get a big bullpen arm?

The soothing response: Really, is that all you can come up with?

The Diamondbacks needed a few things when the offseason dawned, like an upgrade at third base, depth in the rotation and some options at DH. For the most part, Mike Hazen and his crew checked all the boxes from that to-do list, landing Jordan Montgomery, Eduardo Rodriguez, Joc Pederson, Randal Grichuk and Eugenio Suarez.

This item — a big-time reliever — is kind of a reach because every team — every single one of them — could use another lockdown, swing-and-miss, high-leverage relief pitcher. Arizona added a number of depth options for the 'pen but opted to ride with Paul Sewald as closer. Sewald is solid, not elite, and right now he's out with an ailing oblique.

Still, this is not a big deal. When Sewald returns, he should be fine and if the Diamondbacks want to make a targeted pickup to upgrade the high-leverage crew before the trade deadline, they'll be well-positioned to do so.