Instant impact pieces on Diamondbacks’ radar ahead of trade deadline

The Arizona Diamondbacks are at a bit of a crossroads with the MLB trade deadline approaching on Aug. 2.

On one hand, they’ve strung together some decent baseball at times over the first half of the season and sit seven games back from a National League Wild Card spot after a loss to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

On the other, they’ve had stretches where nothing was clicking and the club looked out of sorts.

Do they field calls from teams looking for additions to help with a playoff push? Or do the D-backs do the buying for a run of their own ahead of the deadline?

“I look at the way that (general manager) Mike Hazen has been able to improve our ballclub and we always say he’s got a great way of buying and selling at the same time,” D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Thursday. “And I think we could do that again … but I don’t think we’re at a position where we want really, really young talent.

“We think we’re so close and we built something that we think can be sustainable and can win if not this year, next year, the year after. So we’re looking for guys that are ready to contribute to the big-league team now, and I think there’s ways of doing that.”

Of the names floated around as potential trade pieces, starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner headlines the bunch.

Bumgarner has put together a respectable 2022, sporting a 3.74 ERA with a 1.387 WHIP over 17 starts (84.1 innings pitched). In his most recent outing against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, Bumgarner went five innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks. He also struck out four.

Still, Bumgarner’s contract (he’s due $23 million in 2023 and $14 million in 2024) could present a potential obstacle for teams looking to add his services.

Another player who could be on his way out is outfielder David Peralta given he’s in the final season of his three-year contract.

Over 71 games played (258 plate appearances), Peralta is hitting .249 with 58 hits (11 homers), 36 RBIs and 23 walks.

There are also a number of younger players who could be enticing to opposing teams.

Of course, the team’s performance over the next few weeks will dictate how Hazen will attack the deadline.

“We have very attractive players,” Hall said. “We get calls on a lot of our guys — you can imagine who — each and every day. And there’s a lot of teams with the extra wild cards that are into this trade deadline like they haven’t been in the past.

“So I think our phones are going to be lighting up and we’re going to have a lot of options. But again, we’re not going to make a move just to make a move. And if we do make moves, it’s going to be (looking for) impact today, not just tomorrow, impact today we believe.”

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