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Arizona Diamondbacks acquire reliever A.J. Puk from Marlins

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Arizona Diamondbacks acquire reliever A.J. Puk from Marlins


The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Puk from the Miami Marlins, the team confirmed Thursday.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the news.

The D-backs gave up two prospects in the deal, infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and center fielder Andrew Pintar.

In 32 appearances for the Marlins across 44 innings, Puk has a 4.30 ERA and 1.34 WHIP for Miami. The 6-foot-7 29-year-old began his career with the Oakland Athletics, where he spent three seasons before playing the last two for Miami. Puk was originally the sixth overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by Oakland.

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Puk adds another lefty to the bullpen rotation alongside Joe Mantiply. Reports suggested Arizona would look toward relief help and left-handers specifically at the deadline. The D-backs are 28-18 since the start of June and firmly in the wild card race, certifying them as buyers this deadline, while the Marlins declared as sellers very early after dealing Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in May.

Puk is under team control through the 2026 season.

De Los Santos has been perhaps the biggest story in the D-backs’ minor league system this year. He mashed 14 homers and 37 RBI in just 38 games at Double-A, earning a quick move up to Triple-A. He has continued to destroy baseballs there, posting 14 homers and 47 RBI in 49 games for an OPS of .926. De Los Santos is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the D-backs’ 14th best prospect.

Pintar has an .852 OPS in the minors across three different organizations this year after debuting in the minors last year. MLB Pipeline puts him down 30th in the D-backs’ farm system.

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To make room for Puk on the 40-man roster, the D-backs designated relief pitcher Joe Jacques for assignment. Jacques was claimed off waivers in late April. He pitched primarily in Triple-A Reno, sporting a 3.63 ERA in 22.1 innings and 19 appearances.





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Arizona

SB Nation Reacts: Arizona men’s basketball fans expecting deep NCAA Tournament run

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SB Nation Reacts: Arizona men’s basketball fans expecting deep NCAA Tournament run


Houston v Arizona

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MARCH 14: Brayden Burries #5 of the Arizona Wildcats cuts down the net after defeating the Houston Cougars in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament at T-Mobile Center on March 14, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
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Will Arizona center Motiejus Krivas be picked in NBA Draft?

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Will Arizona center Motiejus Krivas be picked in NBA Draft?


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SAN DIEGO — At 7-foot-2, Arizona center Motiejus Krivas is one of the nation’s premier defensive centers. The junior out of Lithuania is a key part of the reason that Arizona forces its opponents to shoot their 2-pointers an average of 7.0 feet from the rim — the 11th highest mark in Division I. But for his NBA Draft stock, the question will be how valuable that skill set is in the modern NBA, given Krivas’ limited impact further from the basket. Here is where he ranks on a handful of notable big boards.

  • Tankathon: 51
  • The Athletic: 73
  • ESPN: 27
  • CBS: 30

This season, Krivas is Arizona’s fourth leading scorer, averaging 10.5 points per game on 58.2% shooting. He’s taken just 12 threes on the season, although he has made four of them. As for his impact elsewhere, he’s averaging 8.1 rebounds and an impressive 1.8 blocks per game. His profile is rounded out by 1.0 assists and 0.7 steals per contest.



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Arizona State vs Virginia predictions, picks, odds for NCAA Tournament First Four

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Arizona State vs Virginia predictions, picks, odds for NCAA Tournament First Four


The First Four of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament continues Thursday with a slate featuring No. 10 Arizona State vs. No. 10 Virginia on the two-game schedule.

Here is the latest on Thursday’s March Madness matchup, including expert picks from reporters across the USA TODAY Sports Network.

USA TODAY Sports has a team of journalists covering the women’s NCAA Tournament to keep you up to date with every point scored, rebound grabbed and game won in the 68-team tournament.

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USA TODAY Studio IX: Check out our women’s sports hub for in-depth analysis, commentary and more

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No. 10 Arizona State vs No. 10 Virginia prediction

  • Mitchell Northam: Arizona State
  • Meghan Hall: Virginia
  • Cydney Henderson: Arizona State
  • Heather Burns: Virginia
  • Nancy Armour: Virginia

No. 10 Arizona State vs No. 10 Virginia odds

  • Opening Moneyline: Virginia (-150)
  • Opening Spread: Virginia (-2.5)
  • Opening Total: 126.5

How to Watch Arizona State vs Virginia on Thursday

No. 10 Arizona State takes on No. 10 Virginia at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on March 19 at 9:00 PM. The game is airing on ESPN2.

Stream March Madness on Fubo

2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament full schedule

  • March 18-19: First Four
  • March 20-21: First Round
  • March 22-23: Second Round
  • March 27-28: Sweet 16
  • March 29-30: Elite 8
  • April 3: Final Four
  • April 5: National Championship



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