The Arizona Diamondbacks pulled off a stunner right before the trade deadline shipping Zack Greinke to the Astros for four prospects, including the Astros 3rd, 4th and 5th ranked minor league players.
Greinke started the day on the mound against the Yankees and ended it as a member of one of baseballs best teams.
This is a great trade for the Dbacks. We don't know if they had to include a few Brinks trucks full of cash to get the deal done or did the Astros assume most of the $80 mlllion dollars left on Greinke's contract but either way, the Dbacks will get some financial relief and add several quality prospects.
The cost is a bona fide ace. Greinke has been an anchor for this young rotation and his presence will be missed every 5 days but in many ways, fans have been expecting this day to happen since he signed.
Once Greinke shocked the baseball world by signing the largest contract by AAV in baseball history to pitch for the Dbacks, the countdown was on for when the Dbacks would regret the trade and move the deal. While they likely don't regret the trade, there have been worse ways the Dbacks have spent money, Greinke never offered enough to justify the signing.
He's the last person the team would want out in the community, he's a difficult personality to warm up to and he's more likely to throw a 85 mph fastball for a strike than he is to kiss babies and shake hands.
This represents an opportunity for the Dbacks to invest some money in their bullpen. Robbie Ray's future remains in the air but he could enter next year as the Dbacks ace. If he's dealt in the offseason, the Dbacks wouldn't have a true ace but could still have 7-8 quality starters.
Mike Hazen didn't sign Greinke but he traded him and somehow that may be the more impressive of the two.