👋 GOOD MORNING

Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week, and I hope yours is going well. The Diamondbacks are officially through their first two weeks of their MLB season, and there really haven’t been many surprises to this point, aside from the current NL West standings (more on that below). Before I get to that, though, I need to take a quick minute to wish one of our fearless leaders here at PHNX, Leah Merrall, a belated happy birthday!

I cannot believe I didn’t put it in yesterday’s issue, but better late than never! Leah is one of the most talented, selfless individuals I know, and we’re so lucky to have her here at PHNX!! Happy belated — I hope your day was truly special!

Finally, if you didn’t have a chance to check out Bo and Johnny’s interview with Kyler Murray, it is must see TV! I’ve got a link to it down below — make sure you give it a watch.

On to the show!

Should The Diamondbacks Be Off To a Better Start?

This literally looks like we’re reading the same book as last year.

Hopefully this edition has a happier ending.

The Diamondbacks are off to an eerily similar start compared to one season ago, where they got off to a 5-7 start en route to an 89-win season. That, by the way, was a five-win improvement over their 2023 NL-Pennant-winning team. The 2025 version is 6-6 following last night’s 4-3 win over the Orioles, and honestly, perhaps the most frustrating thing that fans are seeing right now revolves around the starting pitching.

Again.

Diamondbacks Show Marginal Improvement

Even on a remedial level it’s easy to spot the similarities from last year’s slow start. For example, in 2024 the Diamondbacks allowed 40 runs in their first six losses — this year they allowed 37. Early runs have been killer, as well; Diamondbacks starting pitchers have allowed at least one first-inning run in six straight games, and Merrill Kelly was the most recent offender after giving up two more last night.

To be fair to Kelly, though, he was virtually un-hittable last night after allowing two runs in the first inning, ultimately allowing three hits and three earned runs while striking out four over six innings.

Here’s a peek at how this year’s team compares to last year’s — please note I pulled these before all of yesterday’s games were completed, so they reflect the team’s status before last night’s win over Baltimore.

• The D-backs collectively own the fifth-worst ERA (5.06) in the entire league, compared to the fourth-worst last season (4.62)
• They have allowed six-or-more runs in three of their 12 games.
• They’re second in strikeouts with 106 (ranked 26th last season) and tied for 13th with 35 walks.

The good news here, yet again, is it’s clear the D-backs have the offensive firepower to be a force in the NL West. Arizona currently ranks 10th in the Majors in batting average (.253) and is tied with the mighty Dodgers for fifth place with 59 RBI.

My Take: I think the biggest surprise here to be honest is how the NL West race is shaking out at the moment. Prior to Tuesday’s game against the Orioles, the D-backs were in fourth place, four games behind the San Diego Padres. Yep, you read that right. The 9-2 Padres currently lead the division, while the 8-2 Giants are second and 9-4 Dodgers are third.

Can’t say that’s how I saw it shaking out, but obviously it’s still very, very early to draw any sort of meaningful conclusions. I personally think we’re going to all see a stronger season out of the pitching staff when it’s all said and done, but then again, there’s really nowhere to go but up.

Take A Deeper Dive: Derek takes a look at ​what has gone wrong​ for the D-backs, and how they’ll fare with Ketel Marte injured.

Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley

Sunset: The Suns dropped their seventh consecutive game — this time a 133-95 defeat to Golden State — and their play-in hopes are all but dashed with three games left in the season. Literally the only scenario left is if Phoenix can win its remaining games while Dallas loses out, and that’s not likely to occur. It’s so hard to believe a team that entered the season with high expectations won’t even get the opportunity to compete for a playoff spot, but here we are.

Quaintance to Kentucky: It didn’t take long for freshman phenom Jayden Quaintance to find his landing spot, as the former Sun Devils men’s basketball standout has committed to Kentucky just days after entering the transfer portal. He’s projected to go in the top five in the 2026 NBA Draft, and is heading to Kentucky just one year after de-committing from them to attend ASU.

It’s Getting A Bit Drafty: We’re just a little over two weeks away from the NFL Draft in Green Bay, so make sure you stay informed with our ​PHNX Cardinals 100 Big Board​, a collaboration between Johnny, Bo, and Fran. The board takes a look at what the team’s biggest needs are, and who the most likely candidates are out there to help address them. Check it out!

🧢 Tip of the Hat

Check out ​Kyler Murray with our PHNX Cardinals crew​ yesterday!