Team news
[AZ Central] How the last 2 months of the 2025 Diamondbacks season can shape 2026 roster – Changes will be made. Hazen spoke of looking to add starting pitchers and back-end bullpen help. But if there
was one silver lining to a season of injuries and underachievement over the first four-plus months of the season, it was that the Diamondbacks were able to see young and dynamic players with upside play meaningful games and win some of them. Blaze Alexander got to play every day and flashed a solid glove at third base and center field. Tim Tawa had two stints in the majors and also showed his defensive versatility, even though he has work to do with the bat. Jorge Barrosa, Adrian Del Castillo, Jordan Lawlar and Tyler Locklear, before his season-ending injury, came up from Triple-A and got meaningful experience in important games.
[SI] What is Merrill Kelly’s Market Value to the Diamondbacks? – While there might be a team out there that is willing to offer Kelly a two-year, $30 million contract, I doubt that team would be the Diamondbacks. I expect the D-backs could offer something like a one-year deal worth $13 million plus a second year team option for another $12, with a $3 million buyout. That would make the first year guaranteed at $15 million, or two years, $25 million if the option is exercised. On top of the that, the team could get creative with starts or innings incentives clauses, that could increase the value significantly.
[D-backs Under Review] D-backs Prospect David Hagaman Eyes Strong 2025 Finish in Arizona Fall League – His first professional season featured his return from elbow surgery, followed by a trade to another club just over a month later. “I think it went well,” said Hagaman. “Main focus was trying to stay healthy, continue pitching well. Hagaman was one of three pitchers the D-backs acquired for Merrill Kelly, joining left-handers Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt.” Once I got traded, it was more just being a good teammate. Learning the guys, learning the program, learning how things are different, how things are similar.”
[Cronkite News] ‘I’ll pay off my debt’: Diamondbacks’ 50/50 raffle changes lives on and off field – Torey Lovullo took time to praise the program, saying, “I love our foundation. They’re so good inside of the community. It is very unique and rare that you have an organization that’s willing to do something like that. The DBacks have really paved the way and shown how important it is to this community to stay involved, stay connected and make those contributions.” Lovullo considers himself a 50/50 guy, but is obviously locked in during the game. “I haven’t bought one myself, but my wife has,” Lovullo said. “She supports the cause any way possible. The closest she’s gotten was within four numbers.”
And, elsewhere…
[MLB.com] Yesavage makes all kinds of history in hitless postseason debut – The Blue Jays’ 13-7 win in Game 2 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the ALDS will forever be remembered for what Yesavage did on the Rogers Centre mound, striking out 11 Yankees over 5 1/3 innings of no-hit ball, a postseason franchise record in his debut. It was one of the greatest performances in this organization’s history, the type of moment we’ll still be talking about years from now, comparing everything that comes after it to what Yesavage just did… All of this from the youngest postseason starter in Blue Jays history, a 2024 first-rounder who threw his first professional pitch six months ago in Single-A. [In front of 327 fans on April 8!]
[ESPN] Julio Rodriguez sparks Mariners in Game 2 win over Tigers – Julio Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in Game 2 of their AL Division Series on Sunday to even the series. With the game knotted at 2-2 and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh doubled with one out. Shortly after, Rodriguez doubled home Raleigh to put the Mariners in front for good. Closer Andres Munoz retired the Tigers for the save one night after throwing two innings in a 3-2 loss in 11 innings. Jorge Polanco homered twice for Seattle in the win. [Meanwhile, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez are a combined 0-for-16 in the postseason to date]
Now we’re into October, I’m doing my usual 31 Days of Horror – this year watching vintage movies from 1956 and earlier…
Them! (1954)
Rating: B
Dir: Gordon Douglas
Star: James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, James Arness
This one holds a special place in my heart, because it’s the first “scary” movie to have an impact on me. After seeing it on television, around the age of seven or eight, I was concerned giant ants were living in our attic. I would scurry past the stairs leading up to it, in case one would leap out, grab me in its pincers and drag me upstairs. Not helping matters, I imagine: the house was built in 1815, so noises at night were very much par for the course. Watching this now immediately triggers warm feeling of nostalgia for that simpler – albeit more irrationally terrifying – time. The other element which stands out here, is the film being undeniable evidence for the power of not seeing something.
