D-backs set stage for offseason despite lack of deals at Winter Meetings
DALLAS -- Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen and his staff spent plenty of time talking to agents and other teams over the three days of the Winter Meetings, but no deals were pushed across the finish line.
That doesn't mean that the time was wasted or that something won't happen in the coming weeks.
Take for instance last year when the D-backs didn't get any deals done at the meetings in Nashville: Arizona soon after agreed to a free-agent contract with Eduardo Rodriguez. The groundwork for that deal was laid during talks the club had with the left-hander and his agent at the Winter Meetings.
"We're pursuing things on the trade market and the free-agent market, [and] trying to weigh what the cost is going to be for everything and how we're going to pull it off," Hazen said.
Biggest remaining needs
Offense
The Diamondbacks led all of Major League Baseball in runs scored last year. But they need to find a way to replace free agents like first baseman Christian Walker, and the designated hitter platoon of Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk, who each played key roles. Arizona has some internal options at first base like Pavin Smith, but the club will likely keep looking around to see if it can find an impact bat on the market.
Bullpen
With right-handers Justin Martinez, Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson, along with lefties A.J. Puk and Joe Mantiply, the Diamondbacks like the options they have at the back end of the pen. However, they would like to add at least one more late-inning option, preferably someone that has closing experience.
Rule 5 Draft
With their window to contend fully open, the Diamondbacks did not select anyone in the Rule 5 Draft. Carrying an inexperienced player on the 26-man roster for the entire season is a challenge for any team, but especially one like the Diamondbacks, where every win matters when it comes to getting to the playoffs.
In the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 Draft, the Diamondbacks selected catcher Drake Osborn off the MetsĄ¯ Double-A Binghamton roster.
GMĄ¯s bottom line
Unlike past years when Hazen has had to try to rebuild an entire bullpen or plug multiple holes in his lineup, he has only a couple of things on his to-do list. So, the urgency to get something done early in the offseason was not as intense.
"We really didn't get much done, but there's been progress made in some areas," Hazen said. "So we'll see what happens. Wasn't really expecting anything to happen here. We'll carry all these conversations forward. I feel like we have a little firmer understanding on some potential moves that we can make. It's not anything happening right now, but I do feel like things have progressed a little bit in terms of specificity of conversations."