Kendrick: D-backs' Payroll Likely To Decline, Club Still Intent On Competing In 2026
The Arizona Diamondbacks sold off several key players at the 2025 trade deadline, including Josh Naylor (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/naylojo01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br) and Eugenio Suarez (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suareeu01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br), trading them to Seattle in separate deals. They also sent Merrill Kelly (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kellyme01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br) to the Rangers. Despite these moves, Arizona staged a strong finish in the final two months of the season, securing a playoff spot right up until the last weekend. Owner Ken Kendrick spoke with John Gambadoro and Dave Burns of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM about his team’s performance, the decision to retain manager Torey Lovullo for a tenth season, and the club’s outlook for 2026. Kendrick acknowledged that payroll is likely to decrease, but he emphasized that the Diamondbacks aren’t entering a rebuild or shifting away from a win-now strategy.
“We won’t be spending at the same level,” Kendrick said when asked about payroll. “We don’t just pay the 26 active roster players. We have a 40-man roster. This year, we spent $220 million on our 40-man squad. Will we spend the same next year? I doubt it. Will we have a significant payroll to compete and reach the playoffs? I believe we will.”
The 2025 season was fueled by Corbin Burnes’ surprise signing (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burneco01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br), which pushed the Diamondbacks to a franchise-record payroll. Their deep postseason run in 2023 left them with extra spending power, though this year’s budget won’t match that. Kendrick repeatedly thanked fans for their support, noting that this year’s 2.4 million ticket sales were the highest since 2008. He highlighted the revenue generated from fan attendance as a key factor in the club’s competitiveness.
“While we didn’t have playoff money, we had significant revenues from fan attendance,” Kendrick continued. “What I’ve said and will continue to say is that the revenue we generate is reinvested into the team. We’re in a good position to commit financially to next season. Will the number stay the same? Probably not, but I think it’ll be a handsome figure that allows us to build a competitive team. I wouldn’t want to back away from the goal of being in the playoffs a year from now.”
With a return to the postseason as their stated goal, the Snakes face immense challenges. Burnes will miss most of the 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery. Relievers A.J. Puk (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pukaj01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br) and Justin Martinez (https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=martiju01,martin014jus&search=Justin+Martinez&utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br) are in similar situations. Zac Gallen (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/galleza01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br) is a free agent. Kelly was traded midseason, and he would have been a free agent anyway. The pitching staff needs substantial help to rebuild a playoff-caliber roster.
Currently, only Eduardo Rodriguez (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodried05.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br), Brandon Pfaadt (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pfaadbr01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br), and Ryne Nelson (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nelsory01.shtml?utmmedium=linker&utmsource=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utmcampaign=2025-09-30br) are viable starters for next year. Rodriguez and Pfaadt posted ERAs north of 5.00 during the season, though Rodriguez finished with a respectable 4.09 ERA after the trade deadline. Nelson was outstanding, finishing with a 3.39 ERA in 154 1/3 innings at the MLB level.
General Manager Mike Hazen prioritized the rotation, bullpen, and defense in 2026. While the team focused on run prevention, pitching help took precedence. Could a reunion with Gallen be part of this? It’s possible. Though the longtime Arizona ace struggled early in the season, he finished brilliantly, throwing 65 innings with a 3.32 ERA after the deadline (albeit with fewer strikeouts). Gallen has expressed his love for the organization and his roots in Arizona. Kendrick praised Gallen when asked about his future, saying it’s “not out of the realm of reality” for both parties to reach an agreement on a deal to bring him back.
Whether it’s a reunion with Gallen, Kelly, or adding a new rotation piece via free agency or trade, the Diamondbacks will need at least one starter this offseason—likely two. Many of the team’s top pitching prospects either stepped back or suffered notable injuries in 2025. Beyond needing help on the big league staff, depth will need to be bolstered. The bullpen is every bit as puzzling as ever. Hazen and his staff will face a challenging path.
In discussing the decision to retain Lovullo, Kendrick highlighted the injuries he navigated (six D-backs pitchers had Tommy John surgery this year) and noted that it wasn’t Lovullo’s decision to trade key veterans like Naylor, Suarez, and Kelly at the deadline. That decision came from himself, president/CEO Derrick Hall, and general manager Mike Hazen. However, it was Lovullo who kept the team’s morale high and guided them through the final stretch. ‘I don’t think a single fan would have expected us to be on the edge of the playoffs on the final weekend of the season,’ Kendrick said. ‘Lovullo managed all those games.’
Even with reduced spending, the Snakes could still maneuver this offseason. RosterResource (https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/diamondbacks) estimates their 2025 payroll at $188 million, with a $212 million competitive balance tax. These figures are below Kendrick’s $220 million, though the team moved money off their books at the deadline. By 2026, RosterResource lists the payroll at $107 million with a CBT of $142 million. These numbers exclude arbitration-eligible players, but there’s likely some dry powder depending on how much payroll drops.
