Nick Piecoro

azcentral sports

LOS ANGELES – While the Diamondbacks’ key decision-makers huddled here in a downtown hotel in preparation for Monday’s trade deadline, rival evaluators wondered from afar about what direction the club would take in the coming days.

Many view the Diamondbacks as a team in an interesting predicament. They are in last place, staggering toward a 90-loss season, but because they built their team in hopes of contending in the next couple of years, they appear unlikely to part with the majority of their big-league assets. At the same time, their most logical trade candidates are struggling, dragging down their value.

But their most talked-about trade candidate is in the midst of the worst season of his career. He is three starts into a demotion to Triple-A. His value is at an all-time low. Still, that hasn’t prevented the Diamondbacks from listening to offers for right-hander Shelby Miller.

“We’ve had a ton of (interest),” General Manager Dave Stewart said of Miller. “My story to them is the same: We haven’t given up on the young man.”

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Thus far, Miller’s tenure with the Diamondbacks has been nothing short of a disaster. The club acquired him in December in a deal with the Atlanta Braves that was ridiculed the moment it came to light, a trade that saw the Diamondbacks part with No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson, outfielder Ender Inciarte and prospect Aaron Blair.

The Diamondbacks were expecting Miller to slot in behind right-hander Zack Greinke near the top of their rotation.

Instead, he ranked among the worst pitchers in the majors through 14 starts in the first half before being optioned to Triple-A Reno during the All-Star break. After giving up four runs in six innings on Friday night, Miller has a 5.09 ERA in 17 2/3 innings with Reno.

Rival scouts and executives see the high price the Diamondbacks paid, they see how Miler has performed and they wonder: Why would the Diamondbacks be willing to listen to offers at a time when Miller’s value is at an all-time low?

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Stewart, though, says the club isn’t willing to part with him for pennies on the dollar. He said if he were to trade him, the key player coming back would have to be major-league ready. But, in the same breath, he acknowledges the challenge in finding a trade partner given the circumstances.

“Making a deal for Shelby is difficult,” he said. “We know what he is. We know what we have. We believe he is the guy that we traded for. I don’t know that we’re going to be better off trying to go out there and find a guy to do what we think he’s already capable of doing.”

But when Stewart began to rattle off the names of his “core group” of players, he mentioned starters Patrick Corbin, Robbie Ray and Rubby De La Rosa. He did not mention Miller.

Some in the industry assume the Diamondbacks believe Miller might never return to his old form. They figure the Diamondbacks might be trying to get what they can for him before his value falls even lower.

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According to sources, the Diamondbacks were engaged in discussions with the Miami Marlins about Miller and were interested in Luis Castillo, a High-A right-hander with a fastball that touches triple-digits. Castillo, however, was flipped to the San Diego Padres last week in the trade that sent right-hander Andrew Cashner to the Marlins.

Baseball America ranked Castillo as the Marlins’ sixth-best prospect in their midseason rankings earlier this month. He did not rank among the publication’s Top 100 prospects. Scouts believe he has a chance to be a big-league starter but that he might fit best as a reliever.

When asked if the interest in Miller has come more from contending or rebuilding teams, Stewart said it has come from everywhere. Miller, he said, is the kind of pitcher every team wants to add.

“He’s 25 years old,” Stewart said. “He still has some control left to him. His salary is not whacky. It’s not crazy. He’s that guy that people are looking for. He’s like all the other guys that we have here. He has three years’ service. He’s got some experience and he’s had some success.”

Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or nick.piecoro@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.

Sunday’s game

Diamondbacks at Dodgers

When: 1:10 p.m.

Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles.

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (4-9, 5.31) vs. Dodgers RHP Bud Norris (6-9, 4.27).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KSUN-AM (1400).

Corbin has not posted a quality start in his past six outings, a stretch in which he has a 7.45 ERA in 29 innings, with 20 walks and seven homers allowed. … He gave up four runs in five innings against the Brewers last week. … Corbin has a 5.51 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers. … Norris gave up just two hits in 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball. … He has a 4.40 ERA in 28 2/3 innings since joining the Dodgers in a June trade with the Atlanta Braves. … He gave up four runs in five innings against the Diamondbacks on July 15.

Coming up

Monday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Archie Bradley (4-6, 4.17) vs. Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (14-1, 2.68).

Tuesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (5-10, 4.70) vs. Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (10-6, 2.96).

Wednesday: At Chase Field, 12:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (3-1, 5.63) vs. Nationals RHP Max Scherzer (11-6, 2.85).