The Diamondbacks have announced some roster changes. infielder Idmaro Vargascatcher James McCannand left-handers Jaylen Bueckers Free agent selected. right-handed Austin Pope, John Curtisand Kathy Kellyleft handed Kyle Nelsonand the infielder Connor Caesar Was completely excluded from the 40-man roster. Arizona’s 40-man roster now has 38 players.
Vargas just completed his third tenure with the team. The versatile versatile player made his debut with the Diamondbacks in 2017. Arizona designated him for assignment in 2020 after three seasons in a secondary role. The DFA resulted in a trade from the Twins, although Minnesota also designated Vargas less than a month after acquiring him. The Cubs waived him for the final month of the season. Vargas went through a similar set of trades in 2021, just in a different order. He was claimed off waivers by the Buccaneers in May and designated for assignment a few weeks later. Pittsburgh struck a deal to send Vargas back to Arizona.
Washington gave Vargas his longest look yet. The Nationals signed him as a minor league free agent in May 2022. He hit .280 in 53 games with the team. Over the next two seasons, Washington gave Vargas semi-regular playing time. In 2024, his appearances exceeded 300 for the first time. Vargas signed a minor league contract to return to Arizona this past offseason. In 2025, he played 38 games for the team. Vargas has played all four infield positions, as well as left field and right field. He also was on the mound five times for cleanup duty, comically allowing just two runs in five innings. The 34-year-old’s versatility could land him another game this offseason.
Arizona added McCann after Atlanta fired him in June. He appeared in 42 games for the team before filling the void at the plate. Gabriel Moreno He fell to the ground with an injured hand. The 34-year-old has posted a solid 110 wRC+ in limited action.
Backes ended up being a good option for the Diamondbacks. They signed him before the season started, and the left-handed veteran posted a 3.77 ERA in 57 1/3 innings. Bueckers missed time with a back injury but still appeared in 61 games, including two as openers.
Curtis is the only member of the DFA group to make a significant impact at the 2025 MLB level. He appeared in 30 games with the major league club and had a 3.93 ERA. Since making his debut in 2017, Curtis has bounced around frequently, playing for eight different teams.
Nelson has been a fixture of the Arizona bullpen in recent years, but he appeared in just three games last season. Pope made his debut in September, pitching two innings against the Dodgers before returning to Triple-A Reno. Kelly competed in two games in August. Kaiser had a few brief spells with the major league club, going 2-for-18 in 11 games.
