Diamondbacks at a Crossroads: Buy or Sell at the Trade Deadline?
Despite the growing injuries plaguing the Arizona Diamondbacks, General Manager Mike Hazen remains hopeful that his team will stay in the playoff hunt. This would allow him to add players instead of having to trade them away before next month’s trade deadline. The team’s current situation, marked by a series of injuries, could influence the interest in its players who are about to become free agents.The team’s main concern isn’t Josh Naylor’s injury, who missed Tuesday’s game due to a shoulder injury. The Diamondbacks’ medical staff hopes to avoid the worst-case scenario for MVP candidate Eugenio Suárez, who will miss Tuesday and Wednesday’s games after being hit in the hand by a pitch on Monday. After the swelling goes down, Suárez will undergo an MRI on Thursday.“I think we’re going to have to stay healthy from here on out,” Hazen declared before his team’s matchup against the Chicago White Sox.
Mike Hazen, General Manager of the Diamondbacks
The absences are compounded by those of Corbin Burnes (Tommy John), Gabriel Moreno (hand), Justin Martinez (Tommy John), and Corbin Carroll, who was placed on the injured list with a hairline fracture in his left wrist. The team is awaiting a more detailed analysis to determine Carroll’s downtime. A.J. Puk’s injuries (elbow surgery), Jordan Montgomery (Tommy John), and Kendall Graveman (hip) also complicate the situation. Only Graveman is expected to return this season. These injuries, combined with a bullpen that is not performing as expected, have affected the performance of the Diamondbacks, winners of the National League pennant in 2023. Before Tuesday’s game against the White Sox, the team had a record of 40-38, two games above .500, 2.5 games out of a wild card spot and 7.5 games from the top of the National League West Division. This situation has generated speculation about the possibility of Hazen restructuring the team for next year, considering the possibility of trading key players such as Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, and Suárez.“He’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever known,” said manager Torey Lovullo. “He told me he was ready to play today, which is encouraging. I don’t know if that will happen, unless it’s an absolute emergency.”
Torey Lovullo, Diamondbacks Manager
Hazen acknowledged that, due to the number of injuries, Arizona might need to win games “4-3 instead of 9-3”. With more than a month before the trade deadline, both Hazen and the manager expect the team to show on the field the direction they should take.“The sharks are in the water,” Hazen replied with a smile when asked if other teams had been in contact. “Of course they are. I don’t blame them.”
Mike Hazen, General Manager of the Diamondbacks
Lovullo added: “We’re against the wall right now. There’s no doubt. I know this team won’t back down. They’re going to fight. This team won’t have to do anything alone. We’ll band together and fight that battle together.”“We have good players, so I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to play good baseball and stay in this situation and then get those guys back and maybe be able to add something at the deadline,” Hazen said.
Mike Hazen, General Manager of the Diamondbacks
