👋 GOOD MORNING — Happy Friday! We made it through another week!

How great was it to see football on TV yesterday? Sure, there were basically no starters in the lineup — you know the preseason drill by now — but the first sign of fall is here, and I know we’re all ready for it.

Oh, by the way, can you believe it’s August?! Speaking of football, both ASU and Arizona kick off their football schedules on Aug. 30 — the former hosts Northern Arizona while the latter welcomes Hawai’i to Tucson. IT. IS. OFFICIALLY. COLLEGE. FOOTBALL. MONTH!

Let’s run it back next week. On to the show!

— Patrick Brown, PHNX Sports Daily Editor

It’s finally over.

The Diamondbacks did not disappoint after all of the hype heading into the MLB trade deadline, dealing six players in exchange for a total of nine prospects, as well as one player to be named later.

Most of the names that were shipped out came as no surprise. In fact, it may have been more of a surprise that Zac Gallen didn’t land anywhere. Sure, he hasn’t exactly been stellar this season, but I thought he’d give a team looking for a starter a boost heading into the postseason stretch run.

Alas, Gallen remains with the Snakes, but a whole lot of other turnover transpired over the last week, and the PHNX Sports Daily is here to highlight them all.

Gone are first baseman Josh Naylor (Seattle), third baseman Eugenio Suárez (Seattle), RHP Shelby Miller (Milwaukee), LHP Jordan Montgomery (Milwaukee), RHP Merrill Kelly (Texas) and right fielder Randal Grichuk (Kansas City).

D-backs traded away:

In return, Arizona received:

That’s a pretty respectable haul.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — I am not a huge fan of the “post draft” or “post trade” grades, especially in situations like the D-backs. Arizona dealt proven MLB assets in exchange for a king’s ransom of prospects, many of which we likely won’t have true MLB data on for quite some time.

Nonetheless, those post-trade-deadline grades have appeared yet again, so might as well take a look!

Of the nine players acquired by the Diamondbacks, eight — yes, EIGHT — are pitchers.

You sure can’t fault general manager Mike Hazen for not trying to address the club’s greatest need considering all of its struggles on the mound over the past two seasons. Whether or not they pan out will take at least a season to understand, but it sure looks like a step in the right direction for a team destined to miss the 2025 postseason.

The Show Must Go On: The new-look D-backs continue their road trip in Sacramento against the A’s, kicking off a three-game set tonight at 7:05 pm. Fans can welcome back the remaining Diamondbacks on Monday when they host the Padres, which marks the first of six straight at Chase Field.

Getting Closer: The Cardinals will hold their red/white practice at 1:15 tomorrow, which is free to attend, though fans must reserve tickets online ahead of time. After that, believe it or not, we’re just one week away from preseason football, which kicks off next Saturday at State Farm Stadium against the Chiefs (5 pm).

Finally, one minor note (I hope, at least) — receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. missed practice due to discomfort in his knee, though coach Jonathan Gannon said the injury is not believed to be serious, and he’s being withheld more for precautionary reasons.

Phew.

Busy Weekend: The Mercury wrap up their five-game road trip this weekend, beginning tonight in Atlanta (4:30 pm, ion TV). Phoenix then heads to Chicago for a Sunday date with the Sky (3 pm, 3TV) before returning home to host Connecticut on Tuesday.

The Mercury are 1-2 on the current trip, and looking to finish strong. Hurry home!

Watchlists etc: Sun Devils wideout Jalen Moss was named to the Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch list, which recognizes the nation’s most versatile player. The redshirt junior started in all 12 games in 2024, and had 48 receptions for 563 yards and four touchdowns, including a reception in every game. Congrats, Jalen!

Not to be Outdone: Wildcats running back Ismail Mahdi was also named to the Hornung Award Preseason Watch List, marking the second time he has received the honor. He also earned the Paul Hornung Award National Player of the Week in September 2023 after recording 316 all-purpose yards and recording four total touchdowns with Texas State.

Thank God it’s over.

Seeing NFL football on NBC yesterday: