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As I write before Friday’s game, there are 27 contests left for the D-backs, and it’s clear that attention is already focusing on next year. While there may still be plenty of opportunity to play spoiler, with a lot of games against teams with playoff aspirations, this
is mostly a chance to give players valuable experience in the majors. The finale in Milwaukee was proof of that. No disrespect at all to Taylor Rashi, who came through big time. But if Torey Lovullo was really concerned about winning the game, he would not have let a pitcher making his major-league debut, throw the final three innings with a margin of just two runs.
Therefore, with an eye towards 2026, earlier in the week we asked what was the biggest area of concern for 2026, with five areas from which to choose. Before we get to the results, let’s have a quick look through the options, and see what might be on the table for next year.
First base
Arizona currently ranks 24th in the majors by bWAA at this position, coming in at almost two wins below average. The position was holding its head above water while Josh Naylor was with the team, but production has cratered since the trade deadline. The two most obvious candidates are Josh Naylor and Pavin Smith, who would potentially form a platoon there. But both have frankly been terrible in August. Going into Friday, Locklear had a .529 OPS with 29 strikeouts in 82 PA. Smith wasn’t much better, a .579 OPS, and just eight games after coming off the injured list, he went back on it with a quadriceps strain that may potentially mean the end of his season.
Third base
The Geno Suarez-shaped hole in the line-up has been filled, for now, by Blaze Alexander. He has certainly had his moments, and in particular, his defense is markedly improved from the level it was last year. But his strikeout rate is undeniably problematic. Over Alexander’s last thirty games, going into Los Angeles, he has whiffed in exactly one-third of his PAs (39 of 117). Though his August production has actually been far superior to Suarez. The alternative would be top prospect Jordan Lawlar: he has struggled in his previous MLB call-ups, but it is worth remembering this is his age 22 season. At age 22, Alexander was posting a .688 OPS in High-A Hillsboro.
Center field
While bWAA rates left field as a bigger problem, Lourdes Gurriel isn’t going anywhere (except possibly DH?). It has mostly been filled by Alek Thomas, but this has been another season where the bat has struggled to keep up with the defense. An OPS+ of 85 largely cancels out the positives with the glove, leaving Thomas at 0.3 bWAR for the year. Now in his fourth MLB season, you wonder how much further upside there might be. Still, it’s more production than we’ve got out of the alternative, Jake McCarthy, although that’s largely due to his spectacularly bad start. Since coming back from Reno, Jake has a .733 OPS across 32 games, which is far more acceptable.
The rotation
Right now, the D-backs have only three starting pitchers for next year: Ryne Nelson, Brandon Pfaadt and Eduardo Rodriguez. Zac Gallen will be a free agent, and I’d be very surprised to see Nabil Crismatt in the Opening Day rotation. Merrill Kelly might decide to come back to Arizona. Or he might not. He also turn 37 next month. The minor-leagues aren’t much help. The only guy with 10 starts for Reno and an ERA below seven (!) is Casey Kelly, who turns 36 next month. Cristian Mena has a shoulder strain, and Blake Walston had joined the Tommy John train. Outside help seems likely, but Mike Hazen’s track record with free-agent pitchers isn’t exactly encouraging
The bullpen
Torey Lovullo’s bullpen usage this year is beginning to take on the appearance of a modernist piece of performance art. The team has already sailed past the previous high of pitchers on a team to record a save: sixteen different D-backs have closed out a game so far. With expected closers Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk likely to be out for much of 2026, Arizona needs to figure out who can be trusted, and in what situations. Will further bullpen arms, with more experience of be added from the market this winter? Or will the team take the low-cost approach, and stick with internal candidates, giving them the chance to prove their worth down the stretch, and end the long streak of bullpen futility?
The results
There’s no doubt that it’s pitching in general which is seen as the problem, collecting over eighty percent of the votes in total. That does make sense, since overall, the D-backs offense remains well-above average. They’re ranked sixth by both OPS+ and runs per game, despite struggles in the clutch (17th by OPS with runners in scoring position). Focusing on relief makes sense, when only the Angels have blown more saves than the D-backs. Though this is partly a result simply of more opportunities: by save percentage, Arizona are ranked a slightly less-disastrous 22nd. Getting Pfaadt and Rodriguez back onto track would go s long way to help the rotation.
