Diamondbacks Enter Trade Season Focused on Bullpen Reinforcements
The Diamondbacks are heading into the trade deadline with a clear plan. General manager Mike Hazen said on MLB Network Radio that Arizona intends to pursue bullpen help while also searching for a left handed bat with real power.
He emphasized the need for “more thump” and a more left leaning lineup, a response to the team’s struggles against right handed pitching. Entering June 7, Arizona ranked in the bottom three in batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage against righties, and their 85 wRC+ was the worst in MLB.
Rotation Carrying the Load, Bullpen Still Needs Support
The Diamondbacks rotation has done the heavy lifting, logging 357 1/3 innings, which ranks fifth in the majors through 64 games. That workload has kept the bullpen from being overexposed, but it has also masked the group’s inconsistencies. Diamondbacks relievers have thrown just 209 1/3 innings, the second fewest in MLB, and posted a 4.13 ERA with a 3.84 SIERA. Those numbers sit around league average. They are also skewed by early struggles from Brandon Pfaadt and Andrew Hoffman, both now in Triple A Reno.
When isolating the core seven relievers Paul Sewald, Juan Morillo, Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, Jonathan Loáisiga, Taylor Clarke, and Brandyn Garcia the picture improves dramatically. That group has handled 75 percent of the bullpen’s innings and combined for a 2.51 ERA and 3.41 SIERA. Sewald, the veteran closer, is 15 for 16 in save chances with a 3.47 ERA and 3.58 SIERA. He has been reliable, but Hazen still sees a need for another late inning arm capable of intimidating hitters in high leverage spots.
Why Depth Matters for Arizona’s Push
Even with the bullpen’s solid core, Hazen recognizes the risk of relying on a group with injury histories and inconsistency. The only relievers without those concerns are the ones whose big league careers are just beginning.
That is not the ideal foundation for a team expecting to contend into September and October. A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez could eventually help, but both have been out for more than a year, and the Diamondbacks do not want to lean heavily on rehabbing arms. Depth will matter as innings pile up.
Hazen Balancing Needs With Reality
Hazen’s comments reflect a front office that understands its roster construction. Arizona has avoided overworking its bullpen thanks to a rotation averaging just under 5 2/3 innings per start, but that workload is not guaranteed to hold. As the season progresses, the bullpen will inevitably face more pressure. Hazen knows the group is not in a disastrous place, but it has room to improve and contenders cannot afford to ignore those margins.
The Diamondbacks will explore the trade market for at least one high leverage reliever and possibly more. They also want a left handed bat to balance a lineup that has struggled badly against right handed pitching.
