The 2 Diamondbacks Needs Mike Hazen Has to Address in Trade Market

The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline is just under two months away. It's difficult to know at this juncture exactly what side of the buyer-seller line the Arizona Diamondbacks will fall upon.

Arizona is 34-31 after a rocky homestand against the Dodgers and Nationals, but they're still in position to contend for a Wild Card berth. If they remain competitive, Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen will have no problem emerging as a buyer.

If Arizona does manage to stay in the running by the time the August 3 Deadline rolls around, which areas will the Diamondbacks target?

Hazen, in an interview with MLB Network Radio, said he's hoping to add a left-handed power bat to the middle of the lineup. That seems to be priority No. 1 for Hazen and Arizona's front office.

The other area? The bullpen — a unit that's performed well of late, but could always use more help.

The Diamondbacks Trade Deadline Shopping List:
Left-Handed Power Bat & Bullpen Help@Dbacks | #Dbacks
🔗 https://t.co/fGPbvbj8w4 pic.twitter.com/wd6LDZmlxQ
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) June 7, 2026

Diamondbacks' Mike Hazen on adding left-handed bat

"I probably need a little more thump in the lineup. Probably need a little more power. Probably need to get a little more left-handed. So I think that area of the market, we're going to be looking at," Hazen said.

"[Outfielder Jordan Lawlar]'s coming back. [Lourdes Gurriel Jr.]'s coming back. So that's going to kind of fit back onto the team. That's going to add another element to this lineup that we've sort of been missing here a little bit. That'll give me a little better insight, but both those guys are right-handed," Hazen said.

Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen — Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick near Scottsdale on Feb. 20, 2024. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Diamondbacks do not have much in the way of pure left-handed hitting. Adrian Del Castillo, who has a .568 OPS, is one of two left-handed DH options alongside Pavin Smith, who just returned from elbow surgery and has three base hits in his 23 plate appearances this year.

Arizona does get some left-handed production out of Ketel Marte (switch-hitter) and star Corbin Carroll, but the Diamondbacks lack a true middle-order threat from the left-handed batter's box.

A few names have been thrown out as potential fits already for that need, but those are likely speculation as to Hazen's options at this stage.

The Diamondbacks did, however, just sign lefty-hitting outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year deal. Kepler is eligible to return from his 80-game PED suspension on June 25. That may end up being a temporary solution, but it's worth noting Kepler is ineligible for the postseason due to the suspension.

Diamondbacks' Mike Hazen on adding to the bullpen

Mike Hazen, General manager of the Diamondbacks, speaks to the media during Cactus League media day at the Arizona Biltmore on Feb. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Diamondbacks' bullpen has been anything but the problem area this season — a very strange sentence to utter, but a truthful one nonetheless. Arizona's bullpen ERA ranks 15th at 4.09, which is a notable improvement from the bottom-five number they posted in 2024 and 2025.

Taylor Clarke (1.67), Juan Morillo (2.45), Ryan Thompson (2.53) and Kevin Ginkel (2.84) are all having excellent seasons carrying a heavy leverage workload. Paul Sewald is 15-for-16 in save opportunities. Brandyn Garcia (0.67) and Jonathan Loaisiga (3.00) are also performing at a high clip.

Meanwhile, A.J. Puk is nearing a return, and Justin Martinez will be back at some point this season, as well. And yet, there can never be enough pitching depth, particularly in the bullpen. Injuries or severe regression could hit at any moment, as D-backs fans well know.

"I'm sure we're going to need bullpen. Everybody needs bullpen," Hazen said.

Hazen said he's hoping to not have to spend resources on the starting rotation, despite the news that Corbin Burnes won't be back by his initial expected date. Brandon Pfaadt went down to Triple-A to get stretched back out as a starter in the wake of that Burnes news.

"I'm hoping Brandon Pfaadt gets going down in Triple-A to the point where that may not be a spot where we have to expend resources, and I can focus it on the lineup and the bullpen," Hazen said.

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