PHOENIX -- Mike Leake was almost a D-back prior to the 2016 season, but the team couldn’t finalize a free agent deal with him. Then around a month ago, the D-backs and Mariners seriously discussed a trade that would have included Leake.

Finally, with just minutes to spare before Wednesday’s Trade Deadline, the two teams agreed to a deal that brought him back to Arizona, which he considers his home.

“It’s a little surreal,” Leake said. “Playing for my hometown team is a dream for me. So it’s nice to be here and have that opportunity. Right now, I’m a little bit on cloud nine. But I know that in a few days I’m going to have to take care of business.”

Leake was born in San Diego, but pitched collegiately at Arizona State University and makes his offseason home in nearby Paradise Valley, Ariz.

“I just think the desert has a spirit to it,” he said. “I enjoy living in it and I enjoy being here. It’s home for me. Hopefully I can make some special memories here.”

Leake along with Zac Gallen, who was acquired Wednesday from the Marlins, will try to fill in for the loss of ace Zack Greinke, who was dealt to the Astros.

“The consistency, pitchability, strike-throwing, durability,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said of what he liked about Leake. “All those things that, quite frankly, we’ve been talking about for the last couple of months that we’ve missed in the rotation since we’ve lost Luke [Weaver]. We’ve kind of chased that.”

Rotation rumblings

The D-backs will go with a six-man rotation this turn through with Gallen and Leake joining the rotation.

Robbie Ray will start Saturday and Taylor Clarke on Sunday in the final two games against the Nationals. Leake and Gallen will make their debuts during the Phillies series, but manager Torey Lovullo said no decision had been made as to which games they would pitch.

It is unlikely that the D-backs will stick with a six-man rotation after this turn, Hazen said, but that’s still to be determined.

“We’re putting this together as we go now,” Hazen said. “We’re trying to see how the new starters fit in, where they’re going to match up and fit in for us, and once they get established and everyone else gets established I’m sure that we’ll start to take a harder look at what it’s going to mean the next time through.”