From Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com comes word that the Diamondbacks have acquired left-hander Zach Duke from the Pirates for a player to be named later.
Duke had a bit of major league success in 2005 as a 22-year-old, posting a 1.81 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 84.2 innings. But he really hasn’t been effective since and wouldn’t have lasted long in a system other than Pittsburgh’s.
The D’Backs will hope that he can find a little consistency in a different setting. It seems unlikely in the hitting-friendly confines of Chase Field, but it’s not exactly unheard of.
Duke, 27, finished the 2010 season with an 8-15 record, 5.72 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 29 starts. He is likely to act as Arizona’s fifth starter in 2011.
