Diamondbacks News
Diamondbacks honored by state of Arizona for charitable giving milestone
by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]March 9 is a foundational day on the calendar for the Arizona Diamondbacks, as on this day in 1995, Major League Baseball awarded an expansion franchise to Phoenix.
Thirty-one years later, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs proclaimed March 9 will be “D-backs Give Back Day” annually to honor the baseball franchise for hitting $100 million in charitable giving.
Diamondbacks’ 2026 Closer Plan is Painfully Obvious
by Alex D’Agostino [SI]
The Arizona Diamondbacks have yet to name their closer, and it’s beginning to look more and more likely that it will be a closer-by-committee approach this season, with a combination of veterans like Paul Sewald, Ryan Thompson or Kevin Ginkel taking turns in the ninth inning.
And with Sewald’s track record of closing games, it feels most likely that he will be the one presented with the majority of the save opportunities, though the D-backs have been known to choose their closer based on specific-game matchups in recent seasons.
Diamondbacks’ ‘amazing young man’ Carroll continues to clear hurdles by José M. Romero [AZ Central]
Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll could start playing in major league spring training games as soon as this week, manager Torey Lovullo said before the team played the Seattle Mariners on Monday, March 9, at Salt River Fields.
Carroll, rapidly recovering from a fractured hamate suffered almost a month ago, is getting live at-bats on back fields at the Diamondbacks’ spring training facility.
Around the League
Superstars shine as USA holds off Mexico in thriller by David Adler [MLB]
In an electric atmosphere at Daikin Park on Monday night, the United States defeated Mexico, 5-3, in a thrilling showdown of undefeated World Baseball Classic rivals.
The superstars came through for the U.S., which got a dominating start from Paul Skenes and a big game by captain Aaron Judge. Skenes pitched four shutout innings with seven strikeouts in his WBC debut. Judge hit his second home run of the Classic and had a clutch outfield assist. Roman Anthony also crushed a huge three-run homer that proved to be the difference-maker.
With the win, Team USA seized control of Pool B of the 2026 Classic and exorcised some demons against a Mexican team that’s had its number in the WBC.
Dominican Republic, Venezuela, S. Korea into WBC quarters [ESPN]
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a grand slam and drove in six runs, and the Dominican Republic clinched a spot in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals with a 10-1 win over Israel on Monday in Miami.
Tatis homered in the second inning on a 78.5 mph changeup off Ryan Prager, standing at home plate and admiring his no-doubt drive over the left-field wall, then added a two-run single in the seventh. Geraldo Perdomo had put the Dominicans ahead with a bases-loaded walk.
Tatis’ six RBIs tied Adrian González in 2009 for second most in a WBC game, one behind Ken Griffey Jr.’s record in 2006.
The Dominican Republic’s Hitters Are Dangerous, But They Haven’t Really Been Tested Yet by Matt Martell [FanGraphs]
Through the first two games of the World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Republic had scored 24 runs, recorded 22 hits, and drawn 18 walks. Fifteen of those 24 runs had come on the team’s seven home runs. Collectively, the Dominican hitters were slashing .361/.506/.754; their 1.260 OPS was two points better than Babe Ruth’s was in 1927. They couldn’t possibly keep this up.
They cooled off some in Monday afternoon’s 10-1 win over Israel, lowering that slash line to a pedestrian .319/.488/.692. Those slackers.
Phillies, Jesús Luzardo Agree To Extension by Darragh McDonald [MLB Trade Rumors]
The Phillies and left-hander Jesús Luzardo have agreed to an extension, according to various reports. He was previously slated for free agency after 2026. It’s reportedly a five-year pact starting in 2027, which guarantees the Roc Nation Sports client $135MM. There is also a $32.5MM club option, though Luzardo can boost that by $2MM with each top five Cy Young finish, giving him a chance to potentially raise it as high as $42.5MM. He will receive a $1MM assignment bonus each time he is traded until he reaches 10-and-5 rights.
