The Arizona Diamondbacks split the first two games of their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers entering Sunday’s series finale.
Arizona has put itself firmly in a position over the final 45 games of the regular season to be in contention for a playoff spot, and during Sunday’s game, the team reportedly made a notable roster acquisition.
Diamondbacks Sign 9-Year MLB Veteran
According to Diamondbacks beat writer Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, the team agreed to a deal with veteran right-hander Zack Littell.
Littell is in his ninth season, which he’s spent with the Washington Nationals, before being designated for assignment earlier this week after going 7-8 across 14 starts and 23 appearances while posting a 4.97 ERA.
Source: Free-agent pitcher Zack Littell and the Arizona Diamondbacks are in agreement on a contract. @nickpiecoro had it first.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) August 9, 2026
Littell’s MLB Career
Littell entered the league in 2018 and posted a 6.20 ERA during his rookie season with the Minnesota Twins, but he followed it with his best season in 2019. Pitching out of the bullpen, he made 29 appearances and posted a career-best 2.68 ERA.
His nine years in the majors have taken him through the Nationals, Twins, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds.
Littell has primarily worked as a stretch reliever before transitioning into a starting role. Across his career, he is 41-37 with a 4.05 ERA and 566 strikeouts in 257 appearances, including 93 starts and 715 innings pitched.
D-Backs Right Now
Arizona entered Sunday 62-56 overall, which puts them in the third and final NL Wild Card spot.
It’s unclear exactly how Littell will fit into the rotation, but his versatility gives the D-Backs options. They could use him as a stretch reliever or a back-end starter for a team that will welcome back Michael Soroka from the IL on Monday.
Mitch Bratt remains scheduled to start Tuesday, while Eduardo Rodríguez, Brandon Pfaadt and Merrill Kelly continue to anchor the rotation.
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