Diamondbacks did not get all they wanted at trade deadline: ‘I wish we were able to do more’

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen took no victory laps after the trade deadline on Monday, as the mood in the press interview room at Chase Field shortly after 3 p.m. MST was more of frustration than anything else.

Arizona landed outfielder Lars Nootbaar from the St. Louis Cardinals, addressing their need for another left-handed bat and adding depth to the lineup. But that was the only trade the organization made even with multiple needs.

The Diamondbacks did not acquire a first baseman despite the struggles from that position, and they did not add a starting pitcher to help an injured rotation.

Hazen said the Diamondbacks were close on a number of deals leading up to the deadline to add more talent to a club fighting for a National League Wild Card spot, but they fell through. Some targeted players wound up staying put, while others were routed elsewhere, he said.

It was a seller’s market with 21 teams entering Monday within four games of a playoff spot, which raises prices. The D-backs paid a hefty toll for a player in sending out pitching prospect Daniel Eagen (their No. 5 prospect on MLB Pipeline). But not at least getting another starting pitcher was regrettable.

“We offered a lot, all the way to the top of our farm system,” Hazen said. “I had to draw the line on the major league team on some level. There were some of those asks. Taking guys off the major league team comes with a bigger risk. … But from a prospect standpoint, I felt like we were very aggressive.

“I wish we were able to do more, obviously, with the way the team has played. But that’s the way it went.”

 

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The D-backs played their way to the second spot in the Wild Card chase, but they will have to compete with a beefed up National League.

Fellow Wild Card contenders in the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates each made multiple deals to improve their odds.

The Padres — the top team on the outside looking in, sitting at one game behind the D-backs — were ultra aggressive adding starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Casey Mize. They built a formidable threat to unseat the Diamondbacks in the bracket, one the D-backs will have a chance to stave off this week at Chase Field.

The Cubs also rebuilt their starting rotation, the Pirates added several relievers while the Phillies boosted their lineup with Luis Arraez and bullpen with Brooks Raley.

The Diamondbacks had interest in Mize, starter Clay Holmes and first baseman Alec Burleson, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported on Monday morning. Holmes went to the Cubs, the top NL Wild Card team, while Burleson stayed in St. Louis.

Hazen said the emotion was a little raw for him after the work put in leading up to the deadline, but he felt that Nootbaar will be a good fit with his ability to get on base and hit right-handed pitching. And while it cost the Diamondbacks one of their top pitching prospects in Eagen, doing nothing would have sent the wrong message to a team that fought to prevent what happened last season.

That’s not reason alone to make this trade, but the D-backs were buyers, not buyers and sellers as had been floated going into the deadline. Nootbaar represents a potential lineup upgrade and insurance for Max Kepler’s ineligibility for the postseason, should they get there.

The Diamondbacks just did not improve as much as their competitors.

They are in a difficult position with so many arms on the injured list.

Michael Soroka is close to coming back, while the wait continues for Corbin Burnes, Ryne Nelson and Zac Gallen. There is more than $100 million in payroll on the shelf.

Hazen said these returnees did not impact what he offered in trades, as the D-backs need to bridge the gap between now and getting some reinforcements back.

“We were willing to push in and deal with the consequences later on,” Hazen said. “That wasn’t a huge factor. It played some in terms of what we were able to pursue. We weren’t pursuing the entire market, but it wouldn’t have prevented us from doing anything and just dealing with it later.”

The onus will be on Arizona’s young starters Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake to hold down the fort until veterans return. Burnes will restart a bullpen progression this week, and Gallen will have a follow-up medical appointment on Wednesday to decide his next steps.

In 2023, Hazen’s biggest regret was not getting starting pitching at the deadline to help the eventual NL champions. The D-backs lost a bullpen game that went horribly awry in Game 4 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers.

Now, the fear is that the team is left short on starting pitching again, as it is hard to project what pitchers coming off major injuries will be able to provide and when. Their playoff rotation could be strong, but they have to get there.

The Diamondbacks did extend a message of belief in the current clubhouse by keeping the band together. There are several young players who could have been desirable whom the D-backs kept off the table, such as outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt.

Arizona finished July really well, with a 15-10 record that was second to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL. The schedule for this month is difficult with some matchups that got tougher, which will confirm whether or not this deadline was a loss or not.

“We got a really good player, and we have a really good team,” Hazen said. “I hope that we go out there and continue to play the brand of baseball we’ve been playing the last few weeks.”

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