The Nationals designated Zack Littell for assignment on August 5 and officially released him on August 7. By August 9, the Diamondbacks had already scooped him up on a new deal, per MLB Trade Rumors.
Two days from unemployed to Arizona's newest arm is fast, but it makes sense once you look at the numbers. Littell was owed a $3 million base salary plus a $4 million buyout on a declined $12 million mutual option for 2027, totaling $7 million guaranteed from Washington regardless of what happens next. That means the Diamondbacks are only picking up the prorated league minimum for the rest of this season, which is about as low-risk as a rotation add gets.
The performance behind the release isn't pretty. Through 112.1 innings this year, Littell posted a 4.97 ERA with a 7.3% walk rate and a 14.6% strikeout rate — numbers that scream back-of-the-rotation depth rather than anything Washington needed to keep around. MLB Trade Rumors noted a trio of particularly rough April starts inflated the ERA somewhat, but the strikeout and homer issues were real enough to make him expendable.
For Arizona, this isn't the splash they were hoping for. Reports indicate the Diamondbacks had their eye on a bigger deadline addition before a Clay Holmes trade with the Mets fell through, leaving them to patch the rotation with a low-cost flier instead. Littell gives them an arm who can start or work out of the bullpen while Arizona's injured pitchers work their way back, buying time without spending real money.
It's a quiet move, but it's the kind of depth signing contenders make in August — cheap, flexible, and low-stakes. Whether Littell can shake off a rough platform year and actually help Arizona down the stretch is the next question, but for now the Diamondbacks got a fresh arm for pennies while Washington eats the bill.