D-backs GM Mike Hazen: All is silent on J.D. Martinez front

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Two days into spring training and there is still an open locker stall between the Nos. 27 and 30 inside the Arizona Diamondbacks clubhouse at Salt River Fields.

How long that spot remains vacant is anyone’s guess.

Of course, the D-backs would love to fill the void with last season’s No. 28, outfielder J.D. Martinez.

“No update,” Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said Thursday.

Martinez, along with several other big-name players, is unsigned after hitting free agency in the offseason.

“I think, again, we’re engaged in the entire market. As I’ve said throughout the entire offseason, we’re continuously looking for ways to make our club better and there are still options available out there and so we’re staying intimately engaged with the market,” said Hazen, who added they are primarily targeting the outfield.

Related: D-backs’ Hall says humidor could be ahead of MLB-wide trend

D-backs players have certainly voiced their desire to see Martinez return. Pitcher Archie Bradley and third baseman Jake Lamb have perhaps been the loudest, both publicly and privately.

On Thursday, starter Zack Greinke threw his support behind the move.

“I mean if he’s going to hit that many homers, yeah. That would be fine,” he said.

Typically, most teams’ rosters are set once spring training arrives. This year, however, there may be several teams who add a player or two, and not just a role player but someone who could have a significant impact, like Martinez did a year ago for the D-backs.

“It is a little different; it’s a little unique in that regard. But not unique throughout the history of the game of baseball,” Hazen said. “I mean, there’s players that have signed in spring training or there’s transactions that happen in spring training. We almost made trades last spring training. It’s not as uncommon as you think. It is a little bit unique in that regard, but like I said, we’re not going to close off opportunities to make our team better.”

BASE HITS

— Outside of Martinez, the second-most talked about subject in D-backs spring training has been the humidor that is in place at Chase Field and will be used for the first time this season.

The hope is that a climate-controlled chamber to store baseballs will afford pitchers a better grip during home games.

“I wish every park was neutral so that everyone dealt with the same circumstances and then you wouldn’t have to deal with any of that stuff,” Greinke said. “I know my ball moves more in most places than it does in Arizona, like my two-seamer and some of my change-up I feel like, too, but the feel of the balls, not necessarily.”

— In the offseason, the D-backs reportedly discussed trading Greinke with a handful of teams, most notably the Texas Rangers.

Such a move would’ve been difficult given the $126 million the D-backs owe Greinke through 2021.

“Might of been in Winter Meetings it crossed my mind a little bit, but once that kind of passed I didn’t think too much of it,” Greinke said. “That was about it. So a couple of days to a week I thought about it some and still I was thinking probably a lower, 20-percent chance, not more than likely (happening).”

— The end of March is when right-handed starter Shelby Miller is scheduled to throw his first bullpen session, according to manager Torey Lovullo.

Miller is nine months removed from Tommy John surgery.

Lovullo added relievers Randall Delgado and Jimmie Sherfy, both of whom dealt with late-season injuries in 2017, will throw their first bullpens Friday.

— The rain throughout the afternoon yesterday and then overnight kept the D-backs off a couple of fields for pitchers fielding practice.

The work was still done, though it was more of a walk-through.

“So we didn’t miss much with our bunt plays and our bunt-play fundamentals because we more or less talked about it today rather than executed. And I’m fine with that,” Lovullo said. “Weather didn’t hold up the most important part of the day, which is getting bullpens thrown and that was very satisfying.”

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