Diamondbacks president: ‘I would be surprised’ if we don’t make trades

Do the Arizona Diamondbacks plan to buy at the trade deadline on Monday? To sell?

Team president and CEO Derrick Hall suggested that the Diamondbacks could could do both, but he expects them to be active.

“There’s a lot going on,” Hall told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta. “We’re talking to a lot of teams and a lot of possibilities. So I would be surprised if something doesn’t happen.”

Hall said he’s had players trying to get the inside scoop while riding in the elevator with him, a midseason tradition it seems as players ask what the club plans to do before the trade deadline.

The Diamondbacks could use help with their injured starting rotation and in the lineup, while bullpen reinforcements are always helpful.

Arizona entered Thursday’s off day in a tie with the Philadelphia Phillies for the second National League Wild Card spot, an encouraging place to be considering their slew of pitching injuries and the lack of consistency from star players Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll. Plus, the Diamondbacks expect to get a group of players off the injured list over these final two months, including Michael Soroka, Ryne Nelson, Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez and Jordan Lawlar, to name a few.

These are reasons to buy, but there are complications.

A reason why the Diamondbacks could “buy and sell” would be their payroll is creeping up toward luxury tax penalties. Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported that Arizona is $6-7 million away from the luxury tax, and they will not cross that boundary.

“I think focusing on the CBT (competitive balance tax) or that tax level, it’s kind of a responsible thing to do,” Hall said. “But I don’t think it’s the driving factor. It is a factor. Nonetheless, I think, Mike (Hazen) and our staff, they’re very good at doing both buying and selling.”

 

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Another factor is the lack of obvious sellers.

As of Thursday morning, 11 of 15 NL teams were within 2.5 games of a playoff spot. In the AL, 10 of 15 teams were within 2.5 games. There is a swath of teams on the bubble that have to decide what direction to go in, and those decisions could lay out what the market really looks like this weekend and leading into Monday.

Will the impending lockout impact the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline?

Additionally, there is a large elephant in the room casting a shadow over the trade deadline, and that is the expected lockout during negotiations between the MLB and MLBPA on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The degree to which next year will be impacted is the biggest question in baseball, but Hall insisted that the Diamondbacks are not going to use that as an excuse at the deadline.

“If there’s a guy without a contract beyond this year, I have said to Mike, I’m not afraid to acquire a rental,” Hall said. “If there’s guys that maybe have one more year on their contract or multiple years, it has not been a factor. I don’t think we’ve had one conversation about possible work stoppage or not playing games or how many games.  I don’t think you can worry about what’s out of your control for next year. Hopefully we play games. I don’t know how many. Is it 162? Is it 100? Whatever. There’s a good chance that you’re going to play games. So if you acquire someone that’s still on the contract next year, you can assume that that player is going to play.”

Hall said his returning players give him a lot of optimism.

The Diamondbacks are not going to compete for the NL West, as the Los Angeles Dodgers own an 11.5-game lead, the largest of any division in baseball. But the Diamondbacks made the World Series as a wild card in 2023, proving that a team can band together and go on a run if given the chance, and that opportunity is right in front of them.

Despite the uncertainty of how many teams will sell, there will be players out there who fit the Diamondbacks’ needs, even before reinforcements return from the IL.

What buying and selling looks like is unclear. It does not work to sell off several pieces and posture like the team is doing all it can to go for it. If there is a contract the Diamondbacks can get off of to fit more incoming talent onto the payroll, that’s another story.

Trades have trickled in so far, and this weekend could be when the stove really heats up.

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