The Arizona Diamondbacks have been in conversation with the Tampa Bay Rays for a Ketel Marte deal that would include right-handed starting pitchers Ryan Pepiot and Shane Baz, according to a report by AZCentral.com’s Nic Piecoro.
As a disclaimer, Piecoro said an agreement is nowhere close.
He added that another unnamed team has been talking with Arizona with “a more high-profile starting pitcher as the starting point of a (Marte) deal.”
Both Pepiot and Baz recorded 31 starts for Tampa Bay last season, with the former edging the latter in innings pitched, 167.2 to 166.1.
Pepiot sported the better ERA at 3.86 (T-14 among American League starters) and his 1.16 WHIP ranked 10th in AL, while Baz had a 4.87 ERA (AL-worst mark) and 1.33 WHIP (23rd).
The top 2025 inning-eaters for the Rays both have four years of major league experience, Pepiot cutting his teeth for two years with the Los Angeles Dodgers (10 total starts) and Baz having made all 54 career MLB starts for Tampa Bay.
Pepiot has had no arm-related injuries to speak of in his big league career whereas Baz missed the entire 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery but re-emerged to make his next 45 starts over the next two seasons.
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Spotrac estimates that Pepiot would make $3.8 million next season in his first year of arbitration, and Baz would get $2.8 million in his second year of arbitration.
Despite winter meetings in Orlando ending Wednesday, the trade rumor mill keeps pumping around the three-time MLB All-Star, whose team-friendly contract keeps appearing more and more attractive around the league.
Marte is going to make $16 million in 2026 and $12 million in 2027 before his salary goes up to $20 million in 2028. He is under contract through 2030 with an $11 million player option for 2031.
To compare to the recent hot stove deals, Marte is essentially on a five-year, $92-million deal, less than 60% of Pete Alonso’s deal (five years, $155 million) with the Baltimore Orioles. They are in the same age range, as Marte just turned 32 years old, Alonso turned 31 and Kyler Schwarber — who agreed to return to the Philadelphia Phillies on a five-year, $150-million deal — will be 33 in spring training.
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports also reported on Wednesday that the D-backs are “working on several things” but none are close after the club reportedly signed free agent pitcher Michael Soroka earlier this week.
Arizona Sports’ Alex Weiner contributed to this report.
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