Diamondbacks News
Diamondbacks must keep newfound attitude flowing post-All-Star break by Dan Bickley [Arizona Sports]
Last dances matter. So do last stands, especially for a baseball team, an era and a long-tenured manager who keeps defying the odds.
The Diamondbacks are not done yet.
In an alternative universe, the Diamondbacks might be reeling and tumbling into the All-Star Break, a broken team with no hope, swept by the Dodgers in Los Angeles. In that world, Torey Lovullo might’ve been fired any day now, if only
to give a new boss and new voice to a team that is too often lifeless and sloppy.
D-backs fans react to sweeping the Dodgers before the All-Star break by Ben Bliklen [Burn City Sports]
Few regular-season series carry as much emotional weight for the D-backs as a trip to Los Angeles. Taking down a division rival brings momentum, but sweeping them on their home field just before the All-Star break is something entirely different.
For Diamondbacks fans, the series represented more than a rivalry victory. It felt like confirmation that the team is still capable of playing the brand of baseball that made it one of the National League’s most dangerous clubs. Energy returned to the dugout, confidence showed throughout the lineup, and every victory reinforced the belief that Arizona has not reached its ceiling.
Grading Every Diamondbacks Position Group at the All-Star Break by Alex D’Agostino [SI]
Diamondbacks Bullpen
Grade: A-
The Diamondbacks’ bullpen has been anything but perfect. In fact, they have a 4.00 collective ERA and rank just a single point above league average, ranking 14th out of 30 clubs.
But this group has to be graded on a curve. If the 2024 Diamondbacks had the 14th-ranked bullpen in baseball, they might have won 100 games and the World Series. This group has performed so far beyond expectations it’s hardly conceivable to be celebrating an average group this much, but they deserve it.
As ex-Red Sox lefty makes first All-Star game at 33, Chris Sale proud of ‘little brother’ by Chris Cotillo [MassLive]
As Chris Sale rode to Citizens Bank Park on the National League All-Star team’s bus Monday morning, he took a minute to make sure a longtime rotation mate was recognized for his first career All-Star nod.
Sale, an All-Star in all three of his seasons with the Braves, was sitting with Atlanta catcher Drake Baldwin when Eduardo Rodríguez boarded the bus.
“When I was on the bus today, I was sitting next to Drake and I said, ‘There he is!’ and he asked who I was talking about,” Sale said. “I said, ‘That’s Eddie Rodríguez making his first All-Star Game.’ That guy was like my little brother for seven years. I’m proud of him and happy for him.”
Around the League
Breakout slugger Walker wins HR Derby with electric final round, quieting Philly faithful [MLB]
Jordan Walker silenced the Philadelphia faithful with an absolutely electric final round, defeating Kyle Schwarber by homering on each of his final four do-or-die swings to take the Home Run Derby title on Monday night.
Many years in the making, Team USA 18U icons finally meet at ASG by Jessica Camerato [MLB]
As teenagers, CJ Abrams, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Riley Greene and Bobby Witt Jr. helped take the baseball world by storm. As adults, they are sharing the honor of being recognized as Major League Baseball’s top talents.
Before they were MLB All-Stars this season, they were members of the storied Team USA squad that captured gold in the 2018 COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championship.
“There are conversations that occurred on that team where you talk about maybe one day getting to meet again in the big leagues,” Carroll said. “To now actually do it, it’s very cool. Anytime during the regular season where we’re playing against one of them, or something like this where we get to come together, I find it really special.”
All-Stars oppose MLB salary cap, say there’s still time to reach deal [ESPN]
Paul Skenes, Juan Soto and Bryce Harper are among baseball’s All-Stars who say players will never agree to a salary cap but maintain there’s plenty of time to avoid a conflict that could shorten the 2027 season.
“Both sides kind of have their line that they’re not going to cross,” Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates ace who is also a member of the union’s eight-man negotiating committee, said Monday. “Whether that results in missing games or missing a season, we’ll see.”
2026 Futures Game Recap: More Next Year, Please by Brendan Gawlowski [FanGraphs]
I had the pleasure of attending the 2026 Futures Game yesterday in Philadelphia. Good weather, a big crowd, and great rosters — this game was especially loaded with pitching, which isn’t always the case — made for a fun event.
The nature of the game makes it an imperfect place to evaluate talent. It’s a showcase environment where big tools stand out more than refined skills, and, particularly in a seven-inning game, there’s precious little time for players to show off their range of abilities. Below you’ll find thoughts and reflections on the day, which also included batting practice and pregame defensive work. Inevitably, given the volume of players, some of these write-ups are fairly short, more of a weather report than anything else. In other cases, players moved the needle for me, or at least inspired things for us to monitor over the rest of the season.
Luis Arraez Hopeful Of Staying at Second Base If Traded by Anthony Franco [MLB Trade Rumors]
Arraez said last week that he’d be willing to discuss a new deal to remain in San Francisco. However, there’s no indication the team has shown the same desire. The front office seems likelier to flip him to a contender for prospects. Arraez, who has dramatically outperformed most expectations in a move back to second base, made clear he’s not interested in playing other positions with a new team.
“This is a business, so whatever team wants to give me the opportunity to help, it’s going to be at second base,” Arraez told reporters in advance of his fourth All-Star Game (links via Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com). “I don’t like to go back to first base; I prepared my mind, I prepared my body to only play second base. One hundred percent, I’m staying at second.”
