Why the Diamondbacks Have Neglected This Major Need

The Diamondbacks had a choice to make.

Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen introduces new starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez during a news conference at Chase Field on Dec. 12, 2023. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Arizona Diamondbacks, barring a late-offseason addition, will head into the 2026 season without making high-profile additions to one of their most prominent areas of need — the bullpen.

Arizona's relief corps is battered by injury and full of unproven and journeyman arms in its current state. The signings of right-handers Taylor Clarke and Jonathan Loaisiga (on a minor league deal) do not, at first glance, definitively solve the issue of the eighth and ninth innings.

Perhaps they will ultimately present more upside than expected. But the D-backs have not landed a prominent closer or high-profile reliever of any kind this offseason, despite a decent spread of options in that department as the offseason began.

So, why didn't GM Mike Hazen get a deal done with any of those available arms? According to a report from AZCentral's Nick Piecoro, Hazen felt it was much more important to use his resources on the starting rotation.

Why Diamondbacks Haven't Spent High on Relievers

Arizona Diamondbacks Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Hazen talks with Senior Vice President & Assistant General Manager Amiel Sawdaye (right) during spring training practice at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale on Feb. 13, 2025. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Walking into the season with three starting pitchers, that (would have been) a problem,” Hazen told Piecoro. “As far as the talent that I have right now at the major league level and sub-major league level, we have a group of really good arms.

"Some of them are going to emerge as really good bullpen pieces. We don’t have a lot of guys ready to step into our rotation. If I had spent $15 million on one of those good bullpen arms (in free agency), I wouldn’t have Merrill Kelly.”

Certainly, the D-backs' rotation was in a state of disarray. Both Kelly and Zac Gallen had departed — one via trade and one in free agency. Arizona needed multiple starting pitchers this offseason, so they reunited with Kelly and signed Michael Soroka to a one-year, $7.5 million deal.

There is some amount of internal starter depth, though Hazen and the D-backs' front office likely felt those arms were not ready to step right into a major league role. Righty Cristian Mena has had solid results in his limited MLB action, but is still only 23 years old, and coming off a shoulder injury.

Left-hander Kohl Drake — part of the Kelly trade — made just four starts in Triple-A with poor results before going down with an injury himself.

Meanwhile, Arizona's bullpen has a few young, rising arms. Andrew Saalfrank was excellent in 2025. Brandyn Garcia showed promise toward the end of the season. Even the likes of Andrew Hoffmann and Juan Burgos — despite overall poor results — have potential to become prominent contributors.

So it's reasonable to say the rotation should have been priority No. 1 for Hazen. But it still felt as if certain back-end arms might have been affordable, even if the likes of Devin Williams or Edwin Diaz were never in the cards. Righty Shawn Armstrong received just $5.5 million from the Guardians. Phil Maton will make that same amount in base salary with the Cubs this coming season. Kirby Yates got $5 million from the Angels.

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These are not bank-breaking moves. The Diamondbacks also clearly had at least $5 million to spend in the coming season, since that is the amount they will be responsible for paying Nolan Arenado. They also spent $1.55 million on Clarke.

Granted, there's always risk in signing veteran relief arms, for numerous reasons. Perhaps all three of the above-mentioned examples turn out to be poor decisions by those clubs.

Hazen did, however, tell Piecoro that the bullpen market "isn't done." The GM still believes there are trade options out there, with "active conversations" still occurring.

But cutting corners with bullpen construction is a very dangerous game, as D-backs fans well know. Arizona blew the third-most saves in MLB in 2025 (29) and posted the fourth-worst bullpen ERA (4.82).