SAN DIEGO -- Wednesday was a relatively quiet day for the D-backs at the Winter Meetings, but that doesn't mean we didn't learn some things.

The D-backs met with Akiyama

Japanese free-agent center fielder Shogo Akiyama is one of the few players on the market that general manager Mike Hazen has stated publicly the team's interest in.

The D-backs met with Akiyama on Tuesday, but they are by no means his only suitor with other teams like the Cubs also seeking help in center.

"Good," Hazen said about the meeting. "I mean, he was a very impressive person, but I'm not going to go into any more specifics or anything like that."

The trade market is moving slowly

Free agents have been the talk of the Meetings so far with mega-deals signed by pitchers Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.

Wednesday brought deals for Blake Treinen (Dodgers), Josh Lindblom (Brewers) and Tanner Roark (Blue Jays).

The ripple effect has been that the trade market is moving slowly.

"The [free-agent] market is moving what I would think is pretty aggressively, far more aggressively than it has in the past," Hazen said. "I think it's natural that that would have a dampening effect on trade discussions, as the focus seems to be on free agents. I think that's natural. I'm sure it'll go back and forth as we continue into the offseason. It's good. The pace at which these things are happening is probably good for the game."

But not for the D-backs right now as they continue to look at trades to improve their roster.

A quiet Rule 5 Draft

In each of Hazen's first three Winter Meetings as GM, the D-backs made a selection in the Rule 5 Draft.

All three of the picks were relievers -- Tyler Jones (2016), Albert Suarez (2017) and Nick Green (2018) -- and none ended up making the team out of Spring Training.

This year the D-backs are not planning on making a selection because they want to maintain roster flexibility. A Rule 5 selection must be kept on the 25-man roster (26 starting next season) for the entire season. If the team wants to send him to the Minors, he has to be placed on waivers and if he goes unclaimed, he has to be offered back to his original club.

"While I think there's been a value to who we've evaluated and brought in, it's been pretty prohibitive for us for that player to come in and make the team and stick because we're trying to maximize those roster spots," Hazen said.

Rumors

• MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reported that "while the D-backs have checked [on] Marcell Ozuna, they are not considered among players for his services at this point. He could be a target for Arizona later in the offseason if he is still available."

• According to The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro, the D-backs "floated" a proposal to Giants free-agent lefty Madison Bumgarner that would have paid him somewhere near $70 million.

Bumgarner appears to be looking for a deal that is quite a bit higher than that.