CLEVELAND -- As the clock ticks down to Monday's Trade Deadline -- 3 p.m. MST to be precise -- Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen and his baseball operations staff continue to work the phones with a couple of clear priorities.
The first is starting pitching, with a first baseman, particularly a left-handed-hitting one, a close second. The Diamondbacks could also add a bullpen arm, but that seems less of a priority than the other two.
Trades and Transactions presented by CohnReznick
• 2026 Trade Deadline: Aug. 3, 6 p.m. ET
• Latest trade buzz and rumors
• Tracking every trade
"There's been a lot of conversation around a bunch of different stuff," Hazen said. "So we're mostly in the starting pitching/bat market. Some in the reliever market, just to stay involved in that."
While Hazen works the phones, his team continues its winning ways. The Diamondbacks erased a one-run deficit with a four-run rally in the eighth to beat the Guardians, 4-1, at Progressive Field on Friday night.
Starting pitching has taken on a priority, with injuries to starters Ryne Nelson, Zac Gallen and Michael Soroka, and the fact that Corbin Burnes’ return, which was expected to be around the All-Star break, was pushed back to September.
Soroka should return in the next couple of weeks, Gallen probably after that and then Burnes and Nelson in September. But with every game potentially being the deciding one in a tight NL Wild Card race, Hazen doesn't want to wait until September.
“I’m more worried about getting through August than what happens at the end of August and September,” Hazen said. “August is going to be particularly challenging for us with no off-days and probably the toughest run of games we're going to have all year.”
The Diamondbacks open August with the final two games of their series with the Guardians, and the month also includes four home games with the Padres, three with the Dodgers, three road games against the Braves and Red Sox as well as a three-game home set with the Cubs.
Complicating matters for the Diamondbacks is that they are closing in on the first luxury tax threshold, and that is something they are not planning on exceeding. That leaves them with under $10 million in money they could absorb in a trade.
They also have to allow for the players that they will be getting back. It's not just on the pitching staff, but outfielder Jordan Lawlar should return soon and fellow outfielders Tommy Troy and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. are also expected back at some point.
"We do have guys coming back that I need to plan for them being on the team as well," Hazen said.
In a switch from previous years when the Diamondbacks were in contention, the bullpen is less of a priority. That's in part because of how well it has performed to this point as well as the fact that hard-throwing closer Justin Martinez should return in August and provide a real boost.
So if Hazen were to add a right-handed reliever, it would have to be a clear upgrade from what he currently has. The bar for adding a lefty is lower given the fact that Arizona only has one southpaw in its bullpen in Brandyn Garcia.
Trades can pop at any moment in these final days, and the timing is not something that Hazen has control of because he's the buyer and not the seller.
Last season, when Hazen had veterans like Merrill Kelly, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez to trade, he moved Naylor a few days before the Deadline so he wouldn't be stuck trying to swing multiple players in the final hours.
"When you have the players and you're making the trades, you get to determine the time," Hazen said. "When they have the players, you don't get to determine the time."