MLB trade deadline: Diamondbacks acquire veteran slugger Josh Bell from Marlins in exchange for cash considerations

According to MLB insider Craig Mish, the Arizona Diamondbacks have landed veteran first baseman Josh Bell from the Miami Marlins in exchange for cash considerations. With only a few hours to go before the MLB trade deadline, the D-backs have bolstered their offense with a proven hitter who should provide some quality at-bats as the team pushes for the postseason.

"The Marlins are trading 1B Josh Bell to the Dbacks, per @CraigMish" - @MLBONFOX

The Miami Marlins placed Josh Bell on waivers over the weekend and had several days to facilitate a trade before potentially releasing him. The Marlins did just that by managing to get some money in return for the former All-Star. From the Diamondbacks' perspective, Josh Bell brings a wealth of experience to the club and should play an important role for the remainder of the year.

It's been a bit of a down season for Josh Bell, however, given the struggles of the Miami Marlins offense as a whole, it makes sense why his counting stats leave something to be desired. Over 104 games this season, Bell has posted a .239 batting average with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs.

"Josh Bell hits his 5th HR in his last 6 games" - @MLB

With All-Star slugger Christian Walker expected to be placed on the IL with oblique tightness, the timing of the deal was essential. The deal for Josh Bell not only comes in the wake of the injury to Walker but also the loss of Deyvison De Los Santos in a separate trade with the Miami Marlins. Bell will be an important piece for the Diamondbacks right out of the gate.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are currently on the outside of the playoffs looking in

After making a storybook run to the World Series last season, the D-Backs have struggled to keep the momentum into the new campaign. Despite a strong 56-51 record, if the postseason started on Tuesday, Arizona would have missed out on a National League Wild Card spot by 0.5 games.

The fact that Arizona is on the cusp of a potential postseason berth, it was expected that the team would be active before the trade deadline. Josh Bell is not the only addition to the roster from the Marlins, as the D-Backs also landed pitcher A.J. Puk in a deal last week.

It would not be surprising to see Arizona make another deal before the deadline as the team looks to close the gap in the National League. Both Bell and Puk are instant upgrades the to Diamondbacks' roster and could be factors as the playoffs approach.