Seeing how the Paul Goldschmidt trade helped fill out the roster, will the D-backs deal Robbie Ray, Archie Bradley or possibly Zack Greinke to achieve the same thing? And what kind of return could we expect?
-- Zach B., Gilbert, Ariz.

Of the three players you mentioned, I think the one who could most realistically be dealt before the July 31 Trade Deadline is Ray. With the rough season Bradley has had -- though, to be fair, his last few outings have been much better -- his trade value is probably pretty low and trading him now would not make sense.

Greinke would certainly be a help to contenders, but there’s the issue of his contract -- he’s still got two years left on his six-year, $206.5 million deal -- as well as the fact that he can block a trade to 15 teams. It’s not that he’s untradeable, it’s just that the complicating factors make it more realistic that he could be dealt in the offseason rather than at the Deadline when there is less time to complete a transaction.

Ray’s value will continue to rise with each strong outing he has between now and July 31. Teams are always looking to add pitchers, and left-handers who throw hard and have a high strikeout rate are particularly attractive.

Buy, sell, or do nothing? What will the D-backs do?
-- Bob R., Tucson, Ariz.

I think they do a combination of buying and selling. I don’t think they want to come away from the Trade Deadline simply standing pat.

Maybe over the next 10 days they will either fall out of the Wild Card race or go on a win streak that will prompt the front office to either buy or sell. Otherwise, I would imagine they try to do something similar to what they did in the Goldschmidt deal during the offseason: Trade a player who will be a free agent after next season -- Ray, David Peralta and Nick Ahmed, for example -- and get back Major League players with more years of control but without the same track record.

That’s what they got back from the Cardinals in catcher Carson Kelly and right-hander Luke Weaver. The Rays did something similar last year when they dealt Chris Archer to the Pirates for right-hander Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Austin Meadows.

Kevin Cron has had a few homers but some sloppy looking at-bats. Come September, would the D-backs stick Cron at first more often and get Christian Walker some outfield work? Is Cron perhaps better served staying in the Minors when Wilmer Flores comes back to work on his at-bats?
-- Foshasta, J., Mesa, Ariz.

It’s not easy for any player to be consistent at the plate when they are not getting regular at-bats, and that’s even more the case with a young player like Cron who is still developing. Manager Torey Lovullo would like to get Cron more at-bats, but it’s tough to take them away from Walker given the way he’s swinging the bat. As for what will happen in September, we’ll have to see. But I don’t know that they would try Walker in left field at this point. I think they really like the improvements he’s made at first base this year and will not want to mess with that.