Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen declines to comment on Red Sox rumblings

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen declined to comment on the reporting connecting him to the opening in the Boston Red Sox’s front office.

“You have to do your job and ask and I’ll do my job and not answer,” he told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Wednesday. “Look, we’re focused on getting in the playoffs and I’m just going to say that. I’m very happy here.”

Hazen was then asked if he and Arizona have discussed a contract extension, and the GM did not accept the offer to broach the subject again.

Reports circulated heading into the week regarding Hazen as a prime candidate for Boston’s new head decision-maker.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that Boston has discussed Hazen and notes the GM’s contract goes through 2025, with that last season having a club option. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal in a Q&A said Hazen is “the leading candidate” in his eyes, noting he expects the Red Sox to speak with Hazen.

The link of Hazen to the opening is natural given he worked in Boston for a decade.

He joined the Red Sox in 2006 as the director of player development, earning various other titles along the way like vice president and eventually senior vice president and assistant GM. Hazen was then hired by the D-backs in 2016 for the position he holds now.

Chaim Bloom was the third Red Sox head decision-maker to leave the position in the last eight years after getting fired in mid-September. Ben Cherington resigned in 2015 and Dave Dombrowski was fired in 2019.

If you’ve got a feeling of deja vu reading this, your instincts are spot on. Dombrowski’s departure, in fact, was the last time we were here.

Hazen was then reported as a potential candidate to replace Dombrowski before shortly thereafter being given a contract extension by the D-backs. As Olney reported, this could be a similar instance.

Follow @KellanOlson