With the Arizona Diamondbacks firmly in the National League Wild Card race, general manager Mike Hazen revealed his top trade deadline priorities. On MLB Network Radio, Hazen said he’s looking for a left-handed power bat and more bullpen depth.
“I need more thump in the lineup, need a little bit more power, probably need to get a little more left-handed,” said Hazen. “That area of the market we’re going to be looking at.”
Another area that Hazen pointed to was the bullpen. Despite the Corbin Burnes setback, he’s hoping to avoid needing to add a starter at the deadline. Pfaadt was recently sent to Triple-A Reno to stretch out as a starter, which the Diamondbacks GM hopes is enough.
“Rotation-wise, we were expecting Burnes to come back. Now that plan has changed to deeper in the year, do we need a starting pitcher? At this point, I’m hoping Brandon Pfaadt gets going down in Triple-A to the point where that may not be a spot we need to spend resources, and I can focus it on the lineup and the bullpen.”
Arizona is 34-31 and holds the final National League Wild Card spot going into June 8. Hazen is hoping these additions will be enough for his team to qualify.
The 2026 trade deadline is August 3, at 3 pm MST.
Why Mike Hazen is Targeting a Left-Handed Bat
GettyPavin Smith’s struggles to hold down the DH role has the club looking externally for his replacement.
Hazen cites the return of Jordan Lawlar (fractured wrist) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. as the main impetus. Both players would slot in at center and left field, as originally intended. The two hitters would also solidify their lineup from a right-handed standpoint.
Arizona has gotten very little offense from the designated hitter spot against right-handers. Adrian Del Castillo is hitting .189 with a .568 OPS, playing primarily with Pavin Smith sidelined with an injury.
Smith hasn’t offered much of a reprieve himself. He started out the 2025 season on a tear, but has been exposed since. From April 24, 2025, Smith has produced a .210/.310/.320 slash with a 32.6% strikeout rate.
It hasn’t helped that he missed a lot of time due to various injuries. He’s only had 233 plate appearances over that stretch, but a 79 wRC+ isn’t going to be enough for a strong-side DH. Arizona will need more production from that spot if they want to qualify for the postseason for the first time in three seasons.
The lack of internal left-handed options has already forced Arizona to look externally. The Diamondbacks signed Max Kepler as a short-term solution in left field and at designated hitter. But that won’t stop them from seeking more impactful solutions next month.
Diamondbacks Seeking Bullpen Help
GettyArizona’s bullpen has performed better with Paul Sewald returning as the closer.
The bullpen has been a constant issue under Mike Hazen’s tenure as Arizona’s general manager. However, this year the unit has performed beyond preseason expectations. But that won’t stop Hazen from targeting an impact arm to give them more options down the stretch.
“I’m sure we’re going to need bullpen, everybody needs bullpen,” said Hazen.
Much of their improvement has been internal this year. Kevin Ginkel has bounced back to his 2023-2024 form, Juan Morillo has progressed into a leverage arm, and rookie left-hander Brandyn Garcia is looking like he’ll join that group.
Hazen added veterans Taylor Clarke, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Paul Sewald to the bullpen. Sewald has resumed his closer role, which he held in his two seasons with the club. He’s pitched to a 3.47 ERA and converted 15 of 16 save opportunities.
However, he’s due for regression, as evidenced by a 4.00 FIP and 4.24 xFIP. That could be problematic when it hits, considering his role. The Diamondbacks saw that reality two seasons ago, when one rough month cost Sewald the job and ultimately, a postseason spot.
Another subplot to the bullpen is the looming return of A.J. Puk. He’s currently on a rehab assignment with Reno and nearing a return. Assuming his fastball velocity returns to the 94-98 MPH range pre-surgery, he’s a late-inning option from the left side, if not the closer.
With the amount of arms available, Hazen can focus on making one key addition. Ideally, he adds another leverage arm to pair up with Ginkel, Morillo, Puk, Garcia, and Sewald. Since half the starting rotation has been a sore spot, perhaps a stronger bullpen can mitigate that and allow manager Torey Lovullo a quicker hook in important games.
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