Mike Hazen Stresses Urgency in Decision to DFA Bumgarner

Winning is clearly the priority for Diamondbacks in 2023

Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen addressed the media today to discuss the decision to DFA Madison Bumgarner, which we reported earlier this morning. One of the first questions he was asked was if there was a sense of urgency to resolve the situation. He did not mince words. General manager Mike Hazen did not mince words.

“Yes, I ask our players and staff to have urgency around how we’re going to play and attack, and so I have to do the same thing. I can’t be a hypocrite and ask for that and not do it in my job.” 

Hazen cited Madison Bumgarner’s recent performance over the first part of the season as things started to add up caused him to make the decision to DFA the veteran left-hander now rather than later.

“The team has played it’s butts off over the first three weeks of the season, frankly. They go out there every night, even yesterday we hung around that game. I think if that game stretched out a little longer, I think we’re going to win that game. We seem to score every time they score”

It's notable that this decision is not something that the team came close to making last year or during the off season prior to spring training. Discussions around this decision started a few weeks ago. “We’re not blind to what’s been happening” Hazen said. “I don’t think he was either. It was a struggle. He was trying to do everything he could to right the ship, it just didn’t really work out. So it [the discussions] started a few weeks ago.”

The concept of putting Bumgarner in the bullpen was discussed but Hazen felt that wasn’t going to be the best fit for either the team or the pitcher. The fact that the team already has a lot of left-hand relievers on the roster and the difficulty of crafting a role for him was also a consideration.

The money Bumgarner is owed for 2023, ($23 million) is already allocated and will have no impact on payroll for this year. Next year’s money is the so called “dead money” ($14 million) that will come out of the potential spend he might have. Regardless of the contract situation, ownership made clear in their discussions with him that winning is the priority.

“In the end I was told to do what needs to be done to win baseball games. That’s the message I got. [from ownership]. You need to do what you need to do to win baseball games. “

Hazen said that this experience will not deter the organizations from pursuing free agents in the future. He said he doesn’t regret the signing nor think he made the wrong decision for where the team was at the time, but that it just hasn’t worked out for either Bumgarner or the team. But he acknowledged that they need to have a better process around their evaluations and accepted responsibility for the outcome.

Regarding the decision to go with Tommy Henry instead of Brandon Pfaadt, Hazen cited logistics as the biggest reason. Henry just pitched two days ago and Pfaadt's turn is due today. They did not want to push back the entire rotation to slot Pfaadt in ahead of everyone else, but did not want him waiting until Monday to make his start, which would have been 9-10 days. He stressed that Pfaadt will pitch in the major leagues this year, just not right away. 

The Diamondbacks are 11-8 and currently sit in first place in the NL West. Hazen mentioned several time that there were other issues that he worries about all the time. Pressed to name the other number one issue, he cited the young team's plate discipline. He feels that team's are starting to expand the zone and the hitters need to adjust and stop chasing. 

While it's a difficult day for all concerned, the D-backs will press forward in their efforts to put a winning team on the field. With a young talented lineup and many young pitching prospects already here and on the way, they have a chance to do just that. Today's decision puts the team in a better position, in this writer's view.