Zach Davies Deal Official, Designate RHP J.B. Bukauskas
The Zach Davies deal is now official, as Arizona re-signed the 30-year-old starter to a one-year deal plus a mutual option for 2024. In order to make room for Davies on the 40-man roster, right-hander J.B. Bukauskas has been designated for assignment.
Bukauaskas, 26, was acquired by the D-backs along with Corbin Martin, Seth Beer, and Josh Rojas in the Zack Greinke deal. Arizona was hoping to get the upside that had him selected 15th overall in the 2017 Draft, but it never materialized. Injuries were a consistent theme, as he wound up on the injury list five times in the minor leagues and twice in the big leagues. His two injuries in the big leagues were a right elbow flexor strain in May 2021 and a Grade 2 teres major strain in March 2022. When healthy, his performance in Arizona was poor. In 21 appearances, Bukauskas went 2-2 with a 7.79 ERA and a 14/7 strikeout to walk ratio in 17.1 innings.
Despite another injury-plagued 2022 season, the D-backs elected to send him to the Arizona Fall League for one last chance. Bukauskas appeared in one game, in which he allowed three runs (two earned) on 4 hits, no walks, one home run, and 2 strikeouts in 1.1 innings. His average fastball velocity dropped from 94.8 MPH in 2021 to 93.6 MPH in the fall.
Arizona will have seven days to either trade or place Bukauskas on irrevocable outright waivers. With his first round pedigree, it would not be surprising for another team to claim the 26-year-old off waivers and gamble he is healthy enough to make a difference in their bullpen.
In addition, right-hander Edwin Uceta has been claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers. Uceta was designated for assignment on January 5th when the D-backs signed free agent third baseman Evan Longoria.
