D-backs deal for Marlins lefty Puk to fortify bullpen
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PHOENIX -- When he spoke last week about the Trade Deadline, D-backs GM Mike Hazen made it clear that while he may want to add a starting pitcher or a bat, the one thing he absolutely was going to get was bullpen help.
Hazen did just that Thursday night, acquiring left-hander A.J. Puk from the Marlins in exchange for a pair of Top 30 prospects -- infielder Deyvison De Los Santos (14) and outfielder Andrew Pintar (30).
To make room on the 40-man roster, lefty Joe Jacques was designated for assignment.
In Puk, the D-backs get another power arm to slot in the back of their bullpen along with closer Paul Sewald and setup men Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson.
The 29-year-old Puk opened this season in the Marlins’ rotation as Miami tried to convert him from a reliever to a starter. That experiment did not go well with Puk going 0-4 in his four starts with a 9.22 ERA.
Shifted back to the bullpen on May 13, Puk regained his dominance, compiling a 2.08 ERA in 28 games.
The backend of the D-backs’ bullpen, which included Sewald, Ginkel and Thompson, helped lead the team on its surprising postseason run culminating in the franchise’s second World Series berth.
This year the trio has once again been strong and the addition of Puk makes them even deeper, and the ability to shorten games with four proven relievers should be a real asset should they once again make the postseason.
Puk is not a rental player, either. He is under team control through the 2026 season, which gives the D-backs some insurance should Sewald leave via free agency after this season.
The cost for Puk was not cheap, as De Los Santos has shown tremendous power in the Minor Leagues and the 23-year-old Pintar played well at High-A Hillsboro this year before being promoted to Double-A Amarillo.
De Los Santos was not protected by the D-backs last offseason and the Guardians selected him in the Rule 5 Draft. A few days before the start of the regular season, Cleveland returned De Los Santos to Arizona. He then mashed at Amarillo before being promoted to Triple-A Reno. Between the two stops, he combined to slash .325/.376/.635 with 28 homers and he was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game.