CHICAGO — With 10 days until the trade deadline, D-backs general manager Mike Hazen has a tough decision to make, and it’s not whether his team will buy or sell.
After a string of strong performances by the D-backs, including Friday afternoon’s 5-2 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Hazen is looking to buy at the deadline, but the question he faces is whether or not to add a starting pitcher.
The D-backs’ rotation has been decimated by injuries this year. Zac Gallen is back, but he missed a month at one point with a right hamstring strain. Currently, three-fifths of the team’s projected Opening Day rotation is on injured reserve — Merrill Kelly (right shoulder strain), Eduardo Rodriguez (left lat strain) and Jordan Montgomery (right knee inflammation).
The starting pitchers in depth have also struggled. Blake Walston is on the injured list, Tommy Henry is in Triple-A Reno, as is Slade Cecconi, who could be a better fit as a reliever for the D-backs if he is recalled.
Recent reports have been encouraging for all three pitchers on the injured list.
Montgomery threw a simulated game Thursday, and if he continues to report no issues with his right knee, he likely will rejoin the team after this series with the Cubs.
Kelly and Rodriguez are further behind Montgomery, but both could return in August.
“Everything went well from what I heard,” Hazen said of Kelly and Rodriguez. “All the markers. No issues. No residual soreness. No extra days in between. Coming off the mound, you feel good, and the next day, you feel good. I think we’re moving full speed ahead in terms of where the progression is going to go. I don’t really know exactly what today’s going to look like. But everything went well.”
If those two return healthy to pair with Gallen, Montgomery and Brandon Pfaadt, the D-backs will have a solid rotation. Even if not all of them are able to return, Arizona could still be in good shape given how Ryne Nelson has been pitching lately.
The right-hander held the Cubs to one run in 5 2/3 innings and struck out a career-best nine batters Friday. Nelson has allowed just six earned runs in his last four starts, helping stabilize the rotation.
All of which begs the question: Should Hazen look to add another starter to the Deadline?
“That’s a really interesting question,” Hazen said. “Long-term pitching is always something I’m going to explore no matter what, even if it’s multiple years of control, because I feel like we have to do that. We always have to watch our rotation in a couple of years. I think if I feel really confident when Monty comes back and (Kelly and Rodriguez) are right around the corner, I probably wouldn’t put as much stock in it. But I don’t know. Obviously depending on how well Nelly and Yilber continue to throw the ball really well, that’s going to impact how it plays out.”
Even though Hazen will try to buy, it won’t be a situation where he empties the farm system, so there are only so many pieces he can acquire.
So if he feels comfortable in the rotation over the next 10 days, that would allow him to use his trade assets to bolster other areas of the team.
“I would like to be able to target the bullpen needs, the position needs and just leave it at that,” Hazen said. “That would be great. I don’t know if we’re going to get that opportunity.”
The next 10 days will provide an opportunity to answer this question, both on the field and in the coaches’ room.
