Happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good start.
The Diamondbacks have surprised everyone over the last month or so, continually gaining ground on both the Mets and the Giants despite weathering a litany of injuries, and trades, throughout the season. One thing I don’t want to get lost in the shuffle, though, is Corbin Carroll, who is this year’s D-backs nominee for the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award.
Vote for Corbin! The award is given annually to one player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Congrats, Corbin!
On to the show!
How The West Was Stunned: Diamondbacks Eyeing Playoffs Against All Odds
If you haven’t been to Chase Field lately, you’re missing out.
The Diamondbacks are taking things down to the wire.
Arizona is still hovering right around the .500 mark, but there’s still a very reasonable chance the Snakes can march into the postseason. Just the thought of that was unfathomable on Aug. 1 when they were 51-59 on Aug. 1, but the D-backs have gone 25-17 since, including yesterday’s 8-1 win over the Giants.
How remarkable has it been?
They’ve had this stretch without Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suárez, Merrill Kelly or Randal Grichuk, who were all casualties of the trade deadline. They’ve done it without Kevin Ginkel, Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk, Jordan Montgomery or Corbin Burnes, who all suffered injuries and have been out longterm (The injured Montgomery was traded at the deadline, too).
The injuries haven’t stopped, either. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (torn right ACL), Tyler Locklear (left elbow inflammation) and Pavin Smith (left quad strain) all went down just a little over a week apart.
Yet, here we are — the fourth-place D-backs aren’t just within striking distance of the NL’s final Wild Card spot: They’re right in the mix.
| Team | Games Back |
|---|---|
| Mets | – |
| D-backs | 1.5 |
| Giants | 2 |
| Reds | 2 |
| Cardinals | 4.5 |
All of that despite having one of the most difficult post-All-Star Break schedules, and that won’t change, as Arizona’s remaining schedule is the hardest remaining schedule in all of baseball.
So, how the heck have they done this?
Diamondbacks Contributions Have Come From Top-to-Bottom
It’s cliché, but not any less true: Everyone has chipped in, starting with the pitching.
Diamondbacks pitchers have struggled mightily over the past two seasons, and this year’s staff has been hit hard by the injury bug, too. No matter — the last month has been nothing short of impressive.
- Pitching sets the stage
The D-backs rank fifth in the National League in team ERA (3.97), fifth in opposing batting average (.237) and sixth in team WHIP (1.24). They have also allowed the fifth-fewest runs over that same span. Ryne Nelson (2.40 ERA) and Zac Gallen (2.64) have been superb, and reliever Andrew Saalfrank has allowed just one earned run over his last 11 games.
- Hitting their mark
The bats have complemented Arizona’s pitching staff during this run, too, and contributions are coming from all over. Blaze Alexander’s 13 RBI over the last month of action is fourth-most on the team, behind Gabriel Moreno (17), Geraldo Perdomo (16) and Gurriel (15, out for season). Ildemaro Vargas broke a 1-1 tie against the Giants yesterday with a two-RBI single in the sixth.
Even Jordan Lawlar has gotten in on the fun after starting his MLB career 0-for-31, and has six doubles over his last nine games, including an RBI double last night that just missed clearing the left field wall.
James McCann has homered in two straight games.
- Lovullo is managing his tail off
Manager Torey Lovullo has taken his fair share of heat this season — present company included — but he is actively proving doubters wrong with a roster that, frankly, doesn’t have much business being in the thick of a postseason hunt. The Diamondbacks skipper has used his bullpen effectively enough, mixed up the lineup to keep players fresh, and most importantly, helped keep the clubhouse together through a number of distractions since the All-Star break.
Credit where credit is due: Lovullo has kept this team in the chase despite it looking like the wheels were coming off on multiple occasions. Whether you think Lovullo should remain the manager following this season is irrelevant right now — he has taken much of the heat, and should definitely get some of the credit for this magical run.
My Take: Forget about all of the what-ifs and scoreboard watching, get your behind to Chase Field and take in some meaningful baseball. The remaining schedule is tough, but how can you ignore what’s taking place in the heart of Phoenix?! There are eight games left in the regular season — you should go check it out.
Giant Win: The Diamondbacks exploded for six runs in the sixth inning and gained ground in the NL Wild Card race with a 8-1 win over San Francisco last night. Zac Gallen pitched an absolute gem of a game, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out six over six innings. The two meet up again tonight in Game 2 of the three-game set.
Home, Sweet Home: Calais Campbell has made the most of his return to Arizona, and played a key role in Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers. Our very own Alex D’Agostino wrote about it, and you should check it out!
Mahdi Magic: Wildcats running back Ismail Mahdi was named the Big 12 offensive player of the week after rushing for 189 yards in Friday’s win over Kansas State. The entire offensive line also earned accolades, as it was named the Big 12 offensive line of the week. The Wildcats recorded 234 total rushing yards. Congrats!
Jordan-esque: Sun Devils linebacker Jordan Crook was named the Big 12 defensive player of the week after recording 12 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and one sack. He helped shut down Texas State in Saturday’s win, silencing what was the nation’s seventh-best rushing attack heading into the game. Congrats, Jordan!
Cannot stop laughing.
