With 11 wins in their last 16 games, the Diamondbacks now have a 50-48 record and sit just percentage points behind the Mets for the final NL wild card berth. Plenty of teams remain in the mix in the crowded National League, yet this hot stretch of play indicates that the reigning NL champions are finding their form despite weathering multiple injuries within their starting rotation. Arizona GM Mike Hazen said that he was hoping his club would be in a position to add rather than subtract at the trade deadline, and the Diamondbacks strong play in the last three weeks has paid off their general managers belief. With the DBacks now more firmly looking like contenders, Hazen told reporters (including and ) yesterday that as of now, the calls were making, were looking to add talent to the team . Where exactly the DBacks might focus their shopping has yet to be determined, as Hazen said he would love to be able to target down the needs to bullpen, position-player fit somewhere, and just go with that . A more limited list of needs would hinge, of course, on how healthy the rotation is looking by the July 30 deadline, as , , and all remain on the injured list. Montgomery is the closest to returning, as he threw 56 pitches over three innings of a simulated game on Thursday. This lines the southpaw up to be activated from the 15-day injured list during Arizonas series in Kansas City that begins on Monday, though manager Elie Okobo Jersey Torey Lovullo didnt officially state this was the teams plan. Montgomery hasnt pitched since June 27 due to right knee inflammation, and is looking to return from this IL stint and turn around a rough season, as the lefty has a 6.44 ERA in his first 65 2/3 innings and 13 starts in a DBacks uniform. Rodriguez and Kelly are both tentatively set to return at some point in August, and both hurlers are set for bullpen se sions today. Hazen said everything has been good with the duo as of late, and they could advance to facing hitters after both Saturdays bullpen and then another throwing se sion next week. A suming Montgomery is indeed back for the Royals series, hed rejoin a DBacks rotation that also features ace , , , and rookie . Nelson has pitched increasingly well as the season has gone on and Diaz has looked sharp in his first two career MLB starts, and thus Arizona might go from a lack of rotation depth to perhaps a surplus later in the season if everyone comes back healthy and effective. These are the decisions Hazen must weigh as the deadline approaches, since on paper, trading for another starter seems like a logical hedge against the uncertainty that the Diamondbacks still face with their starter mix. Long-term starting pitching is still going to be something Im going to explore no matter what if its multiple years of control because I feel like we have to , Hazen said. We always have to look out for our rotation a couple of years down the line. I think if I feel very confident when Monty comes back and then [Kelly and Rodriguez] are right around the corner, I probably would not place as much emphasis on it. But I dont know. It obviously depends on if Nelly and Yilber keep throwing the ball really well, thats going to impact how this goes . Hazen also announced that the DBacks would be moving into a bullpen role for the rest of the season, which is probably le s a sign of Arizonas confidence in its forthcoming rotation depth than it is a reflection of Cecconis unimpre sive results as a starter. Cecconi has started 13 of his 14 Major League games this season, posting a 6.14 ERA over 66 innings. It isnt nece sarily surprising that a rookie is having a tough time in his first extended look against big league hitters, and if nothing else, Cecconi has eaten some innings for a DBacks team that was often scrambling to fill rotation holes. His new role will also be about covering innings in some sense, as Hazen said that if Cecconi is recalled from Triple-A, the right-hander will work in a long man role to help give the bullpen some respite. Ty Jerome Jersey