D-backs GM Mike Hazen says pitching staff will be main focus at trade deadline

As the trade deadline approaches next month, a key question surrounding the Arizona Diamondbacks is whether they will be buyers or sellers or somewhere in between. General manager Mike Hazen believes a hot streak could ignite the team’s playoff hopes and position them to become deadline buyers.

The Diamondbacks have been a true 50-50 team this season, not just with their streaky play, but also in the standings. After Tuesday’s walk-off loss to the Blue Jays, their record sits at an even 36-36.

Multiple Diamondbacks players are also on the last year of their contract, raising the question of whether the team would become sellers at the deadline if the losses continue.

The Diamondbacks have lost numerous starters and bullpen members to significant injuries, such as Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk and Cristian Mena. Hazen says that the pitching staff will be the main position group he hopes to target come deadline time.

“This team has consistently responded even in the face of very tough outcomes, and I’m very curious to watch how we continue to do that,” Hazen told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Wednesday. “But we’re going to look at addressing our pitching for sure come deadline season because I think that’s probably the area we’re going to have to look at the hardest.”

When asked if trading for bullpen arms is easier compared to other position groups due to the increased quantity, Hazen said it can actually be the opposite. The state of the league in terms of how many sellers there are plays a factor.

“Bullpen at the deadline can get very expensive depending on what you’re looking for,” Hazen said. “I think that it’s the trickiest position for us across the league, I think if you polled all the baseball operations departments, getting the bullpen into the spot where you want it is the trickiest thing that we do.

“It’s hard because it’s based on usage, how fresh are they when they’re making their appearances, keeping them healthy, not being able to always be able to pitch them when you need to in order to keep them healthy … It’s the area you can address most readily at the deadline but we’ll see, you never know what’s going to be available.”

Hazen compared this year’s team to that of their 2024 roster, a team that made multiple trades at the deadline after heating up following a slow start.

The 2024 Diamondbacks traded for relievers A.J. Puk and Dylan Floro, as well as now-Nationals first baseman Josh Bell. Hazen’s comparison isn’t far off, as the Diamondbacks’ record a year ago was 35-37.

“I think there’s a lot of similarities between this team and the 2024 team, frankly,” Hazen said. “We were in the same spot. J-Mart [Martinez] hadn’t quite emerged into what J-Mart was and we went and got A.J. [Puk] much like we had the year prior when we went out and got Paul [Sewald]. I just think that’s what happens in baseball seasons. You’re gonna have to get into the deadline, and the bullpen is going to have to figure itself out because you’re not going to be able to acquire six relievers, nor should we, we have good talent out there. But you’re going to want to add to it.”

Despite the uncertainty within the ballclub at the moment, Hazen is confident that the Diamondbacks have what it takes to turn the season around by the time the deadline arrives.

“I do believe that this team is getting better, and I feel good about where we’re at and I am hopeful that six weeks from now this team puts us in a position to buy aggressively at the deadline.”

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