Diamondbacks trade for Marlins 1B after injury to Christian Walker

With first baseman Chrisitan Walker headed to the injured list due to a mild oblique strain, the defending National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks acted fast to find his replacement.

They are acquiring Marlins first baseman Josh Bell via trade, according to multiple reports on Tuesday including one from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Placed on waivers Sunday by the Marlins, Bell will fill the void in the lineup left by Walker and give the Diamondbacks one of the hottest hitters in baseball since the All-Star break.

The 2019 All-Star has five home runs and nine RBI during that span after having a forgetful first half of the season, Currently slashing .239/.305/.394 with 14 home runs and 49 RBI, Bell is a switch-hitter who has produced multiple 30-home run seasons in the past.

Acquired for cash, per Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, Bell is a perfect buy-low solution for the Diamondbacks.

With Walker's oblique injury not considered season-ending, having Bell be the stopgap in the lineup until Walker's return gives the Diamondbacks a switch-hitter and another veteran for the clubhouse.

In 107 games played before his injury, Walker put up a .254/.338/.476 slash line with 23 home runs and 71 RBI while maintaining arguably the best defense at first base in the MLB; he's won a Gold Glove at the position two straight seasons.

At 31 years old, Bell does not come close to Walker on defense but he has 166 home runs in his career and is coming off a season in which he hit 22 of them while splitting time with the Cleveland Guardians and the Marlins.

Currently 56-51, the Diamondbacks have slithered their way back into the playoff race after a dreadful start. But with other teams continuing to load up for a postseason push, they could still be in the market for more reinforcements themselves.