Matthew

Linskey

The January trade in which D-backs acquired Grae Kessinger in exchange for Linskey rates as one of the least consequential in memory. Kessinger, who saw action with the Astros in 2023 and ’24, failed to make Arizona as a utilityman and was released from the Triple-A roster three weeks into the season. He’s yet to resurface. Linksey drew the attention of the Astros by striking out 51 in 32 1/3 innings as an A-ball reliever last year, but in High-A this year, he walked 12 and struck out 13 in 13 2/3 innings, and he’d been sidelined since mid-May.

Linskey was Arizona’s 16th-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Rice University in Houston and looked impressive last year in his full-season pro debut, posting a sterling 2.78 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 51/16 K/BB ratio across 32 1/3 innings (22 appearances) between three minor-league levels, finishing the year at High-A Hillsboro. The 22-year-old is an imposing presence at 6-foot-7 and represents an intriguing relief project for the Astros moving forward.