The Arizona Diamondbacks announced today that they have agreed to terms with right‑handed pitcher Taylor Clarke on a one‑year contract. To clear a spot on the 40‑man roster, right‑hander Gus Varland has been designated for assignment. The D‑backs’ 40‑man roster remains at 40 players.
RHP Taylor Clarke │ 32 years old │ R/R │ 6‑4, 210
Clarke is coming off a strong 2025 campaign with the Kansas City Royals, where he appeared in 51 games and went 1–1 with one save and a 3.25 ERA (20 ER in 55.1 IP). He held opponents to a .194 average with a 0.85 WHIP, walking just nine batters while striking out 44. He set career bests in scoreless outings (40), WHIP, and opponent batting average. Clarke was one of only two Major League pitchers last season to record 50+ appearances with nine walks or fewer, joining Tyler Rogers (SF/NYM).
He has logged 50‑plus appearances in each of his last two Major League seasons (2023 and 2025) and has recorded 40‑plus outings in four of the last five seasons in which he has pitched (2021, ’22, ’23, ’25). Clarke was originally selected by Arizona in the third round of the 2015 First‑Year Player Draft out of the College of Charleston and made his Major League debut with the D‑backs on April 20, 2019, at Chicago‑NL.
Across three seasons with Arizona from 2019–21, Clarke appeared in 78 games (20 starts), going 9–8 with one save and a 4.99 ERA (95 ER in 171.1 IP), along with a .259 opponent average, 1.39 WHIP, 65 walks, and 147 strikeouts. Over six Major League seasons with the D‑backs (2019–21) and Royals (2022–25), he has pitched in 234 games (22 starts), compiling a 16–16 record with eight saves, a 4.73 ERA (176 ER in 334.2 IP), a .258 opponent average, 1.31 WHIP, 106 walks, and 304 strikeouts.
