PHOENIX -- Asked in the weeks leading up to the Trade Deadline whether he was planning on being a buyer or seller, D-backs general manager Mike Hazen hinted that his team could be both, and that is exactly what happened Wednesday as he pulled off a flurry of moves, two of which occurred just minutes before the 1 p.m. MT Deadline.

Let’s take a look at the three major moves the D-backs made in the context of buying or selling:

BUYERS
Acquired RHP Zac Gallen from the Marlins in exchange for Minor League shortstop Jazz Chisholm

This was the first trade the D-backs made on the day, and it was a bit of a stunner.

Chisholm was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization’s No. 1 prospect and seemed to be an important piece of their future.

But the D-backs had really good reports on Gallen, and he fills a need they have as their starting-pitching depth has been taxed mightily this year.

In just his first big league season, Gallen has plenty of years of control, giving the D-backs something they crave -- young, controllable starting pitching, and with Nick Ahmed under control through next year and Ketel Marte signed long-term, the D-backs felt they had depth at shortstop and could afford to deal Chisholm.

It’s a deal they feel helps them now and into the future.

Acquired RHP Mike Leake from the Mariners in exchange for Class A Advanced infielder Jose Caballero
Knowing they were trading Zack Greinke to the Astros, Hazen wanted to give the D-backs some pitching help in addition to Gallen, so he acquired the veteran Leake, who played collegiately at nearby Arizona State University.

Leake provides the D-backs with a proven innings-eating veteran pitcher through next year while they continue to develop the young pitchers in the rotation like Gallen.

And for that, the D-backs are only responsible for $6 million of Leake’s contract.

SELLERS
Traded Greinke and cash to the Astros in exchange for 1B/OF Seth Beer, RHP J.B. Bukauskas, RHP Corbin Martin and INF Josh Rojas

The D-backs didn’t head into the Deadline with the intention of dealing Greinke, but when the Astros showed interest the D-backs demanded four prospects, three of whom were among Houston’s top five prospects per MLB Pipeline.

In addition, the Astros agreed to pay $53 million of the $77 million remaining on Greinke’s contract, which runs through 2021.

The D-backs' farm system has been improving over the past two seasons, and it recently got a huge influx of talent from this year’s Draft, in which the D-backs had seven of the first 75 selections.

Beer (No. 4), Bukauskas (No. 12) and Martin (No. 13) immediately moved into MLB Pipeline’s list of Arizona’s Top 30 prospects.

“I’m not really overly concerned with where our farm system ranks,” Hazen said. “I’m more concerned with are we developing players that are going to help us win games at the Major League level? I think relative to two months ago, I think we’re in a better spot today than we were two months ago. If not, I’m not doing my job properly.”

The rest of 2019
Despite dealing his ace, Hazen still thinks the D-backs can compete for one of the National League Wild Card spots. At 54-55, Arizona sits 3 1/2 games out of the second Wild Card spot, but has three teams in front of it.

Hazen knows there might be some unhappiness in the clubhouse with the trade of Greinke, but his long stated goal since taking over the organization prior to 2017 is that he wants to build a team capable of reaching the World Series year in and year out.

As hard as this year’s team has played, it does not appear to be at that level.

“I am open to that criticism,” he said. “I am prepared to explain my thinking on Friday when the team gets back. People are entitled to their reaction, and I respect it. I understand it. I don’t feel like the way we played for the last four months that we were one player away from turning this from where we are to where we need to be. And as such we reacted, making these deals.”