Diamondbacks productive at trade deadline, consistent in faith toward clubhouse

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks put together a second straight productive trade deadline as buyers, adding two bullpen pieces having strong seasons and quickly pivoting after first baseman Christian Walker suffered an oblique strain.

After trading for Marlins southpaw A.J. Puk on Thursday, Arizona strengthened its bullpen by nabbing right-hander Dylan Floro from the Nationals at the buzzer of Tuesday’s deadline. To address Walker’s injury, a low-grade strain not considered season-threatening, the D-backs dealt for Marlins first baseman Josh Bell.

“Walked out with what we felt we were going to try to get accomplished which was to fortify the bullpen,” general manager Mike Hazen said. “Last night’s game threw us a little bit of a curveball this morning, so had to adjust … Unfortunately we lose Walk for a little bit, but I think Josh is going to help us there.

“Bullpen, starters coming back, we felt like this was the team we had kind of put together and wanted to help it. … I didn’t look at this deadline, I think I’ve said this before, the major changes that were gonna happen at this deadline are not what’s coming from outside, but the improvement that’s gonna happen from within.”

To that last point, Hazen was clear after his young squad surprised the baseball world by reaching the World Series last year. He said the biggest improvement from 2023 to 2024 was going to come internally with players getting better.

So his front office went to work complementing the corps, setting a franchise payroll record by bringing in Eduardo Rodriguez, Eugenio Suarez, Jordan Montgomery, Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk while retaining free agent Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

The plan this season has gone off with plenty of hitches. Rodriguez has yet to pitch due to injury, Suarez had a difficult first three months of the season, Montgomery has struggled when healthy and also missed some time while younger cornerstones Geraldo Perdomo and Alek Thomas have spent most of the season to this point on the IL. To pile on, franchise face Corbin Carroll has gone through a sophomore slump.

And yet, selling was never a serious option, Hazen said. And with good reason. The D-backs entered the deadline 56-51 and a half-game back of a postseason spot with two months left. Their 17-8 record since June 29 is the best in MLB. Ketel Marte playing like an MVP candidate helps, but a lot more has gone into the turnaround.

“I believe in this team, the players on it, even the players that aren’t performing exactly how they think they should be performing right now,” Hazen said.

“This team has a lot of talent on it. This team has a lot of fight. We see that they play for nine innings. They’re young, they’re energetic, they love each other. Their clubhouse dynamic has always been that way, that group of young kids just galvanized around each other. I think that’s a very powerful thing. We have to play well at the right time, prepare and perform. But this team has the talent to be a good team.”

Similar to the offseason, Arizona’s deadline moves provide additional support without changing the makeup of the team.

Hazen said he did not end up spending a ton of time exploring the starting pitcher market, partly due to price but also not wanting to jump over the likes of Brandon Pfaadt when Merrill Kelly and Rodriguez return — potentially within the next couple weeks or sooner. Pfaadt is Arizona’s innings leader and him building off his postseason run has been a key cog in keeping the D-backs afloat.

What the D-backs needed was another left-handed reliever alongside Joe Mantiply, and Puk has made a strong first impression with two scoreless innings.

Floro has had a FIP between 2.62 and 3.56 every season since 2018, far below the league average this season of 4.08. He will be a stable force who will be used ahead of back-end arms Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson and Paul Sewald. Floro has a 2.06 ERA this season, and the D-backs shuffled out the reeling Miguel Castro. Sewald and Justin Martinez have had their shaky moments this month, but the bullpen as a whole looks like a strength as it was at the end of last season.

Bell is a veteran switch-hitter who has played in the postseason the past two Octobers.

His .699 OPS does not stand out this year, and his defensive metrics leave something to be desired — especially compared to Walker. But he is on fire, with five multi-hit games in his last six, along with five homers in his last seven games.

Even with all the offseason and in-season moves made, Hazen maintained the identity of the team is getting guys on base, making contact and running, same as the one that emerged back when seeds were planted in 2022.

The push from the front office resonates in the clubhouse.

“I think it reaffirms the product that we’ve been putting on the field,” ace pitcher Zac Gallen said after the Puk deal. “Obviously the first probably two months didn’t go exactly how we planned … I think it just energizes us really, what it really does is the front office is in on this year, as are we. So it’s gonna motivate us to keep doing what we’re doing.”

The playing field has become tougher. Arizona is in a tight race and its competitors made strides at the deadline, as well.

The San Diego Padres built a fearsome bullpen with Jason Adam and Tanner Scott. The New York Mets added multiple relievers, starter Paul Blackburn and outfielder Jesse Winker. The Atlanta Braves brought back slugger Jorge Soler, and the St. Louis Cardinals traded for starter Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham.

The Mets and Padres are also playing some of their best ball along with the D-backs. After such a lowly start to the season for the National League, it now looks like more than 84 wins are required to crack the postseason at this point.

“The landscape of the competitiveness has shifted dramatically year over year. It’s going to be challenging, but we’re right there in the mix of it. There’s no reason why we can’t play better than they play,” Hazen said.

“I know our schedule is a little challenging in the second half. We play a lot of first place teams, a lot of really good teams, but I’ve always felt like if you’re going to go win in the playoffs, you have to beat the good teams … I feel like this team is going to be put to the test over the next two months, and it could really help us.”

Follow @alexjweiner