It’s that time of the year—the MLB trade deadline is inching closer, and the teams are hovering around. 500 have a tough decision to make. Whether they go all in or start making calls, one of the teams is the Arizona Diamondbacks. But decisions need to be made, given that time is ticking and the postseason picture is getting murkier. With the aim to seek October Glory, teams like the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels are after one name.

No, not the power-hitting Eugenio Suárez, but Zac Gallen. A former Cy Young finalist who has been on the radar despite a rather shaky 2025 run. The 28-year-old has a 6-9 record and a 5.45 ERA, but his recent outing has the scout buzzing with anticipation. He struck out 10 over seven dominant innings, reminding everyone of his potential. That’s the version the teams are betting on, and make no mistake, Boston and Los Angeles are watching. However, there’s a twist in the story.

Gallen told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, “I would like to not be in that discussion. I would like for us – and it starts with me – to put us in a position where the front office believes this is a team they can add to, where we can finish this thing out and see what happens come October. Let’s see what happens.” So this means he doesn’t want out, maybe not yet. And in a refreshing take, he wants to fight for the Diamondbacks’ playoff spot. This is not what the contenders want to hear. Especially more so given Gallen’s trade value is now at its peak.

The Red Sox need a stabilizing arm, and Gallen can be the anchor, given that their rotation is riddled with inconsistency. As for the Angels, they are hovering just a few games out of a wild-card spot and deciding whether to push forward or cash out. So a frontline arm could tip the scales. But Gallen is just a wrench in their plan.

The uncertainty lies in what Arizona’s next move will be. Gallen is on a $13.5 million deal and set to hit free agency this winter. So technically, trading him could be smart business for the D’backs. But it would be a tough message to send to the clubhouse. Even he admitted that he is aware of what is at stake. But he is not letting it change how he preps for the game.

“I’ve never been a person that really thinks about the eternal factors, and all of that stuff… even going back to being drafted. It’s a thing. It’s there. It is what it is. You just got to go handle your business,” he added further. So while the two teams are prepping, it seems like they have got a yellow flag waving on them. But he isn’t the only one on the roster; other teams have an eye on him.

Yankees set sights on Diamondbacks’ power bat

Now it’s not just Gallen, who the contenders have eyes on. Turns out that Eugenio Suárez is also turning eyeballs towards him. The New York Yankees, according to Bob Nightengale, are circling two names in particular for their third base—one of them being Suárez of the Diamondbacks, and also Ke’Bryan Hayes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Now, Suárez is that classic power bat, and the man has crushed 28 homers this season with 73 RBIs and is hitting. 255—so not shabby, right? He is a 12-year veteran player and has 304 career home runs. And if the D-backs decide to sell, he will be one of the hottest names on the market. Plus, add him into the Yankee lineup with Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt, and that’s a whole lot of thunder.

The plan would be to get Suárez to third and move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second. Because Chisholm has not been doing the best at present. The Yankees are thinking not just of boosting offense but of shuffling pieces into more natural roles. But if the Yankees need defense, then Hayes is more the person. He is a Gold Glove winner of 2023 and one of the smoothest third basemen in the game. Hayes is hitting .244 with just two homers and 29 RBIs. He is locked in through 2029, though, so it could just be in rental.

The Yankees are sitting at 48-41 and third in the AL East and holding a wild card spot, so there is pressure to make the right move. Do you think the D’backs will let their key pieces go?