Revisiting the Trade for Zack Greinke After the Diamondbacks DFA J.B. Bukauskas

Arizona Diamondbacks DFA J.B. Bukauskas

The Arizona Diamondbacks designated J.B Bukauskas for assignment on Wednesday. He has battled injury since joining the D-Backs organization, never having a chance to establish himself as a big league contributor. The pitcher was a key piece of the Astros trade deadline deal for Zack Greinke in 2019.

The Astros landed the future Hall of Famer in a deadline deal that cost three of their top five prospects (Corbin Martin, Seth Beer and Bukauskas), plus Josh Rojas. Ironically, Rojas, the last piece added to the deal and the lone member of the deal that wasn't a top-five Astros' prospect, is the only one that has contributed to Arizona.

Martin, Beer and Bukauskas have combined for -2.4 WAR in their time in Arizona.

The Astros got Greinke for 2019 and two additional years of team control. Over his three seasons in Houston, Greinke went 22-10 with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He was especially dominant in 2019, finishing 8-1 after the deal with a 3.02 ERA.

He made the start of his life in Game Seven of the World Series, going 6 1/3 dominant innings before AJ Hinch pulled Greinke at the first sign of danger in a move that backfired.

Greinke played in two World Series as an Astro, starting three games and posting a 1.80 ERA in them. He more than earned every dollar he was paid by the Astros.

The Diamondbacks attempted to jumpstart a rebuild by unloading Greinke, and while they have been successful in doing so with some of the prospects they've developed, none but Rojas have come from this Houston trade.

The Astros window of success has stayed open because of their culture, their scouting, their player development, and their shrewd trades when the time is right.

Since 2017, they've acquired two Hall of Fame aces in Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke, and it cost them only one prospect that has been even an average contributor at the big league level.

What a gift it is to support an organization as sound and efficient as this one.