Diamondbacks to continue exploring trade market after A.J. Puk addition
Jul 26, 2024, 1:01 PM
The Arizona Diamondbacks addressed their most glaring roster need by trading for left-handed reliever A.J. Puk with the Miami Marlins on Thursday, five days ahead of the trade deadline. That begs the question: Is general manager Mike Hazen and his front office done?
Hazen said on a media call Friday he will continue to evaluate ways to improve the roster before Tuesday’s deadline, prioritizing pitching but staying engaged in every market.
“Our commitment that we made this offseason and into this year, and the team has shown at this point, (is) that we need to push some of our chips in here to make this team a better team,” Hazen said.
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“We’re committed to doing that. We’re going to continue to look at ways of doing that. This isn’t, hopefully, the only thing we do. If it is, OK, because you never know what else is going to come around the corner. But we’re still going to work pretty hard for the next four days to figure out if there’s other ways to make the team better.”
On the hitter front, the D-backs are now mostly healthy without obvious holes to plug. Moreso, they need some of their own players to step up.
Ketel Marte and Christian Walker have been staples all season, while Gabriel Moreno and Eugenio Suarez have heated up. Corbin Carroll specifically will be relied on to improve his performance in the back half.
Hazen made it clear this does not mean they won’t look at bats, but pitching outweighs position player needs as constructed.
Puk (2.08 ERA in relief this season) gives the D-backs a second left-handed reliever with Joe Mantiply and backend option through 2026. In key matchups, the D-backs can turn to him to face the likes of Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers or Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper of the Phillies. Hazen said the Diamondbacks engaged with the Marlins, and talks started about a week before.
Hazen felt that attacking the reliever market early may have played to Arizona’s advantage with so many teams aiming for starting and relief pitching. Adding more bullpen help remains an option for Arizona.
“We’re still going to look at the bullpen. I believe in what’s coming back in the starting pitching market, we’re still going to stay engaged in every market,” Hazen said.
“You never know the opportunities that are going to come up. I think my gut tells me, from a starting standpoint, it’s more long-term starting pitching that we would engage serious conversations on. I don’t know that we would be looking at the rental market, necessarily, in that area. The other stuff we would look both long-term and the rental market.”
Evaluating the roster needs from a starting pitcher perspective is more complex considering Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez are working their way back from long-term injuries.
The rotation has had many versions this season with 13 pitchers starting a game, including openers. The D-backs just got Jordan Montgomery back from the injured list this week. Ryne Nelson, meanwhile, has been excellent filling in for the injured starters, especially over the past month.
“I’ve been over at Salt River tons, I’m talking to them, seeing how they’re doing,” Hazen said. “Part of me is going to trust they’re coming back in a reasonable window of time. Frankly, Montgomery, E-Rod and Merrill pitching at their best, there’s not that many guys on the market right now that are truly available, in my mind, better than those guys.”
Hazen said he will factor using young starters in bullpen roles down the stretch once Kelly and Rodriguez return when making trade decisions.
The rotation beyond this season has some question marks, as Kelly has a team-friendly club option ($7 million) for 2025, Zac Gallen will be a free agent after 2025 and Jordan Montgomery has a player option for next season.
Puk has starting experience, but Hazen said Puk will remain a reliever. He has a 9.22 ERA in four starts this year, 3.44 career ERA in relief.
