SF Giants division rivals expect to reduce payroll in 2026 after disappointing season

The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of the most active sellers at the MLB trade deadline after a disappointing start to the season. Now, the SF Giants division rivals plan to scale back on payroll in 2026.

SF Giants division rivals expect to reduce payroll in 2026 after disappointing season

Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic (subscription required) that the plan is to scale back on spending, but believes that the core is still in place to be competitive.

The Diamondbacks reached the World Series in 2023, only to lose to the Texas Rangers in five games. That appearance caught many by surprise, as they only won 84 games that year.

The MLB playoffs can be surprising like that sometimes. It is not always the best team that reaches the World Series, but the team that is playing the best baseball in October. In 2023, no other NL team was playing as well as the Diamondbacks in the postseason.

This motivated the front office and ownership group to be aggressive in free agency, with the hopes of making another playoff appearance. This has led to several sizable investments that have not paid off.

Jordan Montgomery, Eduardo Rodríguez, and Corbin Burnes all received lucrative contracts from the Diamondbacks in the past two seasons. Montgomery earned $47.5 million over the past two seasons, only to struggle to a 6.23 ERA in 25 appearances while undergoing Tommy John surgery before this season. The Diamondbacks shipped him to the Milwaukee Brewers at the trade deadline, even though he will not pitch this season.

Rodríguez is in the second year of a four-year, $80 million pact. He has posted a 5.47 ERA in 30 starts with Arizona during that stretch. Lastly, Burnes, who the Giants targeted in the offseason, made just 11 starts this year before undergoing Tommy John surgry. He is in the first year of a six-year, $210 million deal.

On paper, the Diamondbacks did a lot of things right by spending in free agency. The tough part about free agency is that those investments do not always pay off.

At 56-61, the Diamondbacks have been one of the more disappointing teams in baseball. They do have a good core of hitters, including Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, and Geraldo Perdomo. It is pretty easy to see a group like this bouncing back next season, but they are already conveying that they do not plan to be as active in free agency this time around.

More from Around the Foghorn: