With nine days to go before the trade deadline, the Diamondbacks look like buyers. That could change, however, according to general manager Mike Hazen, who suggested that even if the team were to add to its roster it likely would to take a different approach this year than in the past.
“I’m hoping we continue to play well and it puts us in a position to look to add to strengthen the club where possible,” Hazen said. “Even though there’s a short run leading up to (the deadline), I do think watching how the team performs and plays up to the deadline is going to become important.”
The circumstances surrounding this year’s deadline — which is set for 1 p.m. on Aug. 31 — are complicated by a variety of factors:
- Length of season: While the deadline comes at a little beyond the midway point of the 60-game schedule, it only leaves a month for acquired players to impact pennant races. Such little opportunity for impact likely will drive down trade returns.
- Expanded playoffs: With 16 of baseball’s 30 teams gaining entry to the postseason, the pool of potential sellers is not expected to be large.
- Absence of the minor leagues: With the only games being played happening in the majors, teams don’t have real scouting opportunities to evaluate prospects. Most clubs are expected to opt in on a data sharing initiative from their alternate training sites, but Hazen said he assumes it will be far easier this year to be the team acquiring big leaguers than the one taking on prospects.
Another wrinkle to that is that only players on teams’ 60-player pools can officially be traded, though others can be dealt as players to be named later. But with minor league contracts suspended, it adds a layer of complication to potential deals, Hazen said.
Hazen acknowledged all of these factors but sounded like he would still look to add if the right scenario presented itself.
“I think we’re going to have to weigh the risks and rewards a little different than we normally would,” Hazen said.
Assuming they remain buyers, at the top of his shopping list, as usual, would be bullpen help. The Diamondbacks have had a variety of issues among their relief staff, from the struggles of right-handers Hector Rondon and former Arizona Wildcat Kevin Ginkel to the recent finger injury that sent lefty Andrew Chafin to the injured list.
But Hazen said pure results aren’t necessarily the reason he would look to add to that area.
“I think we’ve done fine,” he said. “I think going down the stretch and looking at how playoff runs and games transpire, I think the more firepower you have out there the better.”
Another area that could be in play: designated hitter. Hazen said the recent promotion of slugger Kevin Cron was made, in part, in hopes of generating more power in his lineup. The Diamondbacks have created a lot of runs lately, but they have done so without much pure power.
“I think we’ve swung the bats better,” he said. “I think we have put some games together that’s not likely sustainable from a hits-per-night basis. We know how the game runs now. Getting four singles to score a run is not a sustainable way of driving offense.”
While Cron has yet to get going — and while the same can be said of Jake Lamb and rookie Daulton Varsho, among others — Hazen is hoping either the group as a whole or someone individually can emerge. Otherwise, he said the club might consider outside options.
“We haven’t hit a ton of home runs this year,” Hazen said. “We’re looking for ability to drive the baseball in that spot.”
The Diamondbacks enter Saturday just 27 games into their season. In a normal year, clubs would still be several weeks away from drawing conclusions about their deadline approach. Instead, the way the team played over the past 10 days or so likely has gone a long way toward shaping the direction.
“It’s bizarre,” Hazen said. “But it’s intriguing and it’s fun and it gives us a different dynamic under which to operate. Everyone is operating under the same principles and playing fields and we’ve got to figure it out. But in a baseball season, making large decisions after 20-plus games is probably not what we’re all used to doing and probably not the smartest thing to be doing. But we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”
Hazen said ownership has not given him a firm position on what type of financial maneuverability the team will have. In May, the team eliminated or furloughed about 25% of its workforce.
“We’ve been told to go out and explore,” he said, “and see what additions we can make to the team and evaluate them as we go.”
Inside pitch
Hazen said right-hander Jimmie Sherfy, who was removed from the 60-player pool when he was released earlier this week, has an elbow injury that likely will require surgery.
