PHOENIX — After trading away four key players prior to Monday's MLB trade deadline, D-backs General Manager Mike Hazen was blunt and honest when speaking with reporters about the decisions he made.
"There are moments in time when you can't go chasing something that isn't there," Hazen said on his Zoom sit down with reporters Monday. "And for this season, it hasn't been there. I feel like pivoting at this time is what's most appropriate."
Hazen made it clear this D-backs team wasn't getting a second chance. The team traded away Starling Marte, who was acquired this past offseason for prospects and was hitting .311 this year for the team. The team also dealt starting pitcher Robbie Ray and relievers Archie Bradley and Andrew Chafin. Ray had been in Arizona since 2015 and Bradley and Chafin were both former first-round draft picks for the D-backs.
"It was challenging to envision letting this go for another year and starting back up again a year from now," Hazen said.
The D-backs are 14-21 and in last place in the NL West. The team has 17 games where they've scored just three runs or fewer.
RELATED: 'This isn't what we envisioned': GM Mike Hazen talks after D-backs dump four key players at deadline
On Tuesday, D-backs shortstop Nick Ahmed expressed his frustration with those comments from Hazen, saying those in the clubhouse do not feel that way about the season.
"That's infuriating," Ahmed said when asked about Hazen's comments. "Hopefully Mike stops making comments like that. No one is packing in the towel, no one is saying we're giving up on the season. As a player, that pisses me off."
Ahmed said Hazen has not addressed players or the team.
"Nope, we haven't seen Mike," Ahmed said.
While Ahmed says it's heavy seeing guys so important to him and other players, and the organization leave, the clubhouse is not feeling negative.
"There's no one in the clubhouse with that type of attitude," Ahmed said. "I don't know exactly what Mike's words were or comments were but there's no one with that attitude like, 'hey we've given up.' That's non-existent in the clubhouse."
Outfielder Kole Calhoun, when asked about Ahmed's comments, says he echoes the same sentiment.
"I'm going to go out and play like there is no tomorrow," Calhoun said. "And even if they're trying to look towards next year, we still have another half of baseball to play, we have another month to go."
"I don't like it, it's doesn't really sit well," Calhoun continued. "Not one of those players is thinking about next season."
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said he Hazen has never talked about losing and moving on.
"One thing I know for sure, Mike has never, ever talked about cashing out or losing and moving on. That is not a part of his DNA," Lovullo said after Ahmed's comments."
Lovullo said he and Hazen spoke Sunday night about winning baseball games despite some construction of the roster that was coming the next day.
"Monday morning when he made me aware of the trades he continued to reiterate about winning baseball games, today, for the rest of the 2020 season," Lovullo said.
Lovullo said he plans to speak with Ahmed.
"I love those types of conversations where I bring people together, where there might be pieces that don't lineup...I'll make sure that I address this and get to the bottom of exactly what was said and what was done."
The D-backs begin a road series in Los Angeles Tuesday night against the Dodgers, before heading to San Francisco. The team returns home for a series against the Dodgers on Sept. 8.
