The Arizona Diamondbacks went into 2026 with a high payroll, but they still had to find ways toi maximize value from lower-cost players.
Though the 2026 season ultimately ended in disappointment for the Diamondbacks, missing the playoffs for the third straight season, there were some high-value success stories from some of their less-expensive contributors.
Here are three of the biggest steals of the 2026 for general manager Mike Hazen and the Diamondbacks:
Sep 26, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher James McCann (8) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Diamondbacks snagged McCann from the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A club in 2025, and prioritized re-signing him early in the offseason ahead of 2026.
Arizona got McCann back on a one-year deal worth only $2.75 million, but received quality output and a steady veteran presence, both behind home plate and in the locker room.
McCann slashed .282/.311/.455 with seven homers for a .766 OPS in just 166 plate appearances. It was his best offensive season by those figures since 2020 with the Chicago White Sox.
Not only was McCann a quality batter, he worked well with Arizona's resurgent pitching staff and allowed the team to give Gabriel Moreno plenty of DH days. Moreno played a career-high 130 games as a result and won the National League batting title .
For less than $3 million, McCann was worth every penny, and could be a re-sign candidate for another lower-cost deal in the late stages of a sturdy career.
Sep 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after taking a strike during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Diamondbacks traded for future hall of fame third baseman Nolan Arenado ahead of 2026.
Coming off back-to-back down seasons, Arenado only cost the D-backs pitching prospect Jack Martinez, who pitched to a 4.61 ERA in 2026 between Low-A and High-A in the St. Louis organization.
The Cardinals also ate a hefty portion of Arenado's salary. Arizona was only responsible for $5 million and will only owe him $6 million in 2026.
All they got out of Arenado was a team-leading 30 homers, a .255/.331/.475 slash and an .806 OPS that was Arenado's highest since 2022. All of this came alongside strong third base defense from the platinum glover.
Sep 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Michael Soroka (34) delivers during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Quality starting pitching tends to come with a large price tag. This one didn't.
Arizona signed Michael Soroka to a one-year deal worth $7.5 million, up to $9.5 million. They got production that came close to Eduardo Rodriguez's level of dominance, albeit with some injury breaks in the middle.
Soroka pitched to a 3.41 ERA over 116 innings this season - his best ERA since his rookie All-Star season in 2019. He struck out 114 batters and walked only 29, picking up nine wins in 21 starts.
The injury bug did limit that production to a certain degree, but when he was healthy, Soroka was an extremely high-value arm for undere $10 million. He expressed a desire to return, as well, though whether or not that is a realistic possibility remains to be seen.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi as The 3 Biggest Steals of Diamondbacks' 2026 Season .
