3 Arizona Diamondbacks Who Won't Be Back Next Season

After an unexpected World Series appearance in 2023, the Arizona Diamondbacks actually improved by five wins in 2024 to 89 victories, but fell short of the postseason by the slimmest of margins, losing a tiebreaker to the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves for the last two Wild Card spots.

They've got a great young nucleus, and they will be a handful to be reckoned with again in 2025, but there will be some changes to the roster, and these three players are unlikely to return.

Jordan Montgomery

Yes, he owns a player option at $22.5 million, and yes it's nearly certain that he'll pick that up after having such a personally dreadful season, but there are signs that the Snakes will try everything they can to slither out from under another year with Montgomery. The lefty, whose agent Scott Boras left him hanging until the eve of the regular season before signing his 1 year + option deal, was never able to get it going without a spring training to prepare, and finished the year with a 6.23 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP.

D-Backs owner Ken Kendrick called signing Montgomery "a terrible decision" and a "mistake" and took the blame for urging the front office to sign him. It doesn't sound like a relationship that can continue.

Joc Pederson

The strong-side platoon bat had one of the best seasons of his noteworthy career in 2024, slashing .275/.393/.908 with a 151 OPS+. He mashed 23 homers in just 367 at-bats. He and the Snakes have a mutual option for $14 million for next season, but going into his age 33 season in 2025, he'll likely opt out to try for a longer-term deal, coming off such a strong year. Is it possible the D-Backs will give it to him? It's possible, but there will be plenty of contenders looking to add the playoff-tested Pederson in free agency. The odds are against a return, but stranger things have certainly happened.

Paul Sewald

After a strong showing after his arrival at the 2023 trade deadline, Sewald started out well in 2024, but imploded in July and lost the closer's job. After a 5.40 ERA in the second half, and going into free agency heading into his age-35 season, it doesn't seem likely that the D-Backs will bring him back.