Dbacks continue to play well and not roll over. Any hope peaking up under there, or are you still firmly in next season mode?
Spencer: There’s certainly some hope back in my baseball life. But it’s a very small flame. Every small gasp of air threatens it.
1AZfan1: Still not holding my breath, but when Jim mentioned in a thread Saturday that we only need to pick up 2.5 games on the Padres over the next 17 games (as of Saturday morning) to put ourselves in a win-and-in scenario that final weekend, it really hit me that these guys very well could do the thing.
Ben: I’m with Spencer, it’s the tiniest flame of hope, but I’m still
mostly focused on next season. As fun as the last month or so has been at times, I have a difficult time believing in some of the results we’re seeing. For example, Blaze Alexander has been hitting out of his mind since the beginning of August when this run essentially began with a .255/.369/.518 slash line and an unsustainable .344 BABIP. Unless there’s a durable change in approach or swing, I have a difficult time believing those numbers can continue unabated, but I would love to be proven wrong. As we know better than most, all it takes is a hot month or so to make a difference.
Makakilo: The last 5 games were amazing!
- Averaged 5.4 runs per game
- Five quality starts
- Six bullpen pitchers with great power rankings, highlighted by Saalfrank with 9 consecutive appearances without an earned run.
The optimist in me is running wild imagining that the last series of the season against the Padres could decide whether the Diamondbacks make the playoffs!
DBacksEurope: I am certainly not expecting the Diamondbacks to enter the playoffs but we said it before: a) If they can be spoilers for other teams, that is awesome and b) they could keep the hot streak going for another month. I think the teams ahead of the Diamondbacks are better than Arizona though.
Preston: Where there is life, there is hope, and the Diamondbacks are certainly still alive. And we’ve seen this happen before (where a team sells at the deadline but sneaks into the postseason) just last year, and the Tigers are one of the best teams in baseball this year. The chance of reaching the postseason is still somewhere around 5%, but 5% is not nothing, and the injury to Trea Turner might add another wrinkle, as the Phillies are one of the teams on the schedule.
Also, on September 15, 2007, the Rockies were 4.5 games back. That was actually further back than they had been a week before. And the Padres didn’t collapse; they went 9-6 after that point. But the Rockies went 13-1 and forced a one-game playoff. Unfortunately, there aren’t playoffs any more (or the Diamondbacks might well have been in the postseason last year) but it’s certainly do-able, even though the probabilities are well against it happening.
Regardless of what happens next, lots of positives. Which are you most happy to see going into the offseason?
Spencer: I am extremely pleased Nelson is having a strong season. Pfaadt also, albeit to a lesser degree. This gives me hope for our future pitching development. Shout out to Perdomo who has long been a favorite of mine.
1AZfan1: Blaze is an answer. Not positive which question he’s an answer to yet, but he will be an Opening Day third baseman or outfielder in 2026. Jordan Lawlar has perked up the last few games and I really hope he gets more consistent playing time over the final few weeks to help determine if he’s a player in 2026 by right or just because he’s a warm body.
Ben: Can I give a cop out answer that it’s been the pitching generally? Since the beginning of August, they’ve collectively pitched to a 4.00 ERA, 3.92 FIP, and a 1.31 WHIP. They’ve been particularly stingy with homers – giving up just 28 dingers in 33 games. Those numbers obviously aren’t necessarily eye-popping, but it shows that even average-ish pitching is enough to make this team pretty successful with their offense.
Makakilo: The offense looks unstoppable! With that and average pitching, I am confident that next season they will reach the playoffs.
DBacksEurope: Our core of position players is a really good core and I think Nelson this time has secured his spot in the rotation.
Preston: Jordan Lawlar getting playing time. Tyler Locklear getting playing time. The B-squad of relievers pitching in leverage situations. But most of all, anyone who was talking about or trying to generate bad vibes around this team getting shut up. The vibes may never have been better.
What’s your plan for the outfield with Gurriel out for at least the first two months of next season? Is Blaze an outfielder now?
Spencer: Corbin, Blaze, McCarthy/Alek with Barrosa as the fourth. I assume one of Jake or Alek gets traded this winter. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lawlar get some outfield MLB experience. Barrosa will be pushed by Vuk or Krob assuming both are still with the team.
1AZfan1: First, I’m hoping Lawlar proves he can hold down the hot corner and allow Blaze to move to the outfield. Like everyone else, I’m definitely expecting one of Alek/Jake to be traded. I’d also expect Barrosa to be on the 40-man chopping block this offseason considering all the machinations that need to occur this offseason. That would force K-Rob and/or Troy on to the 2026 Opening Day roster and I’m here for it.
Makakilo: Keep an open mind and let the players show who will shine in the outfield.
DBacksEurope: An outfield with McCarthy and Thomas isn’t something that makes me thrilled. I can’t believe we would start the season with them and Carroll. Blaze isn’t an outfielder but is being shifted to it to allow Lawlar to get at bats. I took a look at the free agency Market and I saw a lot of players that are either uninspiring or too expensive. I do expect the Diamondbacks to get some veteran experience. Unlike what others think, I don’t see any trade value in McCarthy or Thomas right now unless they are a toss in for a bigger trade. Like the Marte trade, as hinted at by Nick Piecoro.
Preston: The plan for next year depends on how things go the rest of this year, and to a lesser extent in spring training. Jake McCarthy, Jorge Barrosa, and to a lesser extent Alek Thomas are fourth and fifth outfielders, not regular starters. But Kristian Robinson will either get a look this year or walk at the end of the year, A.J. Vukovich might get a look, and I trust Dave McKay to get the best possible defense out of a free-agent outfielder if needed. But the best option for left field in 2026 (and not just the first two months) might well be Ryan Waldschmidt. That’s surely earlier than the original plan, but he is the best in-house option who might be a regular starter or even All Star level player going forward.
Ben: The best outfield unit right now is probably Carroll, McCarthy, and Thomas by defensive range with Barrosa as a fourth and Alexander spelling there to give Lawlar consistent at-bats. But right now, Carroll is the only one that has shown consistent ability to be an above-average batter. Modern teams can’t afford to have two starting outfielders that are liabilities at the plate. I would be shocked if Barrosa is cut – he has 46 ABs, is 24, and has decent numbers with Reno. It’s still too early to know what he’s capable of, even with the 40-man crunch that’s looming this offseason. I would also be moderately surprised if either McCarthy or Thomas are traded given their values are pretty low and they’re both still relatively young. It’s possible they’re a throw-in like DBE suggested, but even then it would be selling low on both of them.
Of course we have no favorites; we love them all. But if you miss a game, whose line in the box score do you check first?
Spencer: The pitching staff probably. But in reality, I really just check to see if we won and then the standings. Box scores tell the tale of the team, less so the tale of a player who may or may not be struggling.
1AZfan1: When daily lineups come out, I’m first checking if Lawlar is playing. Before he came up – and before Pavin went down – I was checking if Locklear was playing. I want to see the young guys getting reps, even if we still have postseason spots to play for. When I scroll through the minor league box scores I look at K-Rob and Troy’s lines in AAA, Waldschmidt in AA, Druw and Caldwell in High-A, and Cunningham and Dix in Low-A.
Makakilo: I missed 5 Diamondbacks games while on vacation from United States baseball. I looked at roster resource to see who played what positions, wondering about next season. Then I looked at 7-day/14-day power rankings to see who played best in the last week.
Zac Gallen shined brightly in his last two games. He is changing my mind – I’m seriously thinking that he is worthy of a qualifying offer.
DBacksEurope: When I wake up, the box score is always the second thing I look for, after the result. The first one to get checked is the starting pitcher. Right now I am taking a look at Lawlar and Locklear. Before the trade deadline, I’d check the lines of Marte and Carroll.
Preston: It very much depends on what I am tracking at the time. But Corbin Carroll has been the biggest one for a bit, as I followed his attempt to be the fastest player ever to a 30 home run, 15 triple, 20 stolen base season. He just pulled it off, in 23 plate appearances fewer than Willie Mays in 1957. Now I’m monitoring his triples, as if he somehow manages another multi-triple game, he’ll be the first in baseball history with five multi-triple games in a season.
I also have been checking Perdomo lately, although he doesn’t have a historic chase like Carroll did, but he is chasing Shohei Ohtani (and Corbin Carroll and Trea Turner, by fWAR) for the most WAR among NL position players. If the Diamondbacks do somehow make the postseason, Carroll and Perdomo should share the NL MVP. Ohtani would win it again, of course (unless the Dodgers also somehow collapsed out of the postseason), but his supporting cast is just a little bit better.
Other than that, I mostly look to see who pitched.
[Edited to add: Carroll needs one double and five steals to post just the second 30 homer, 30 double, 30 steal, 15 triple season in big league history. Jimmy Rollins in 2007 was the other. Carroll also has over 50 walks, while Rollins had just 49 walks that year. Rollins also had 778 plate appearances, which is more than anyone has ever had. Carroll is going to finish with at least 100 fewer plate appearances.]
Ben: Given how mediocre the team’s pitching has been this year, I always want to look to see how they did that night. Outside of the pitching, I’ll usually check Carroll’s first just because he’s such a dynamic player that it never shocks me to see him with an impressive box score line.
