In the wake of Christian Walker’s injury on Monday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired veteran first baseman Josh Bell from the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. In exchange, Miami will get cash or a player to be named.
Bell signed a two-year, $33 million contract with Cleveland, which dealt him to Miami at the 2023 trade deadline. He is now in the second season of that contract. He may become a free agent following the World Series and is owed roughly $5.4 million for the balance of this season.
According to a source who spoke with ESPN on Tuesday, the Marlins are anticipated to take up the majority of Bell’s remaining seasonlong debt of $5.5 million, thereby turning it into a cash arrangement. Over the weekend, the Marlins placed Bell, a 2019 All-Star with Pittsburgh with 166 career home runs, on waivers.
Walker suffered an oblique injury that forced him to depart Arizona’s comeback victory on Monday. An MRI was planned for Tuesday. Walker’s condition was better than anticipated, according to the Arizona Republic, but the Gold Glove first baseman was nevertheless placed on the 10-day injured list.
Arizona’s chief of baseball operations, Mike Hazen, told reporters he was looking to make trades that would increase the Diamondbacks’ chances of making the postseason this year. He made another trade with the Marlins, this time for lefty reliever A.J. Puk.