30 Teams In 30 Days: The Arizona Diamondbacks Postseason Run Was No Fluke

This is one of those teams that’s a bit difficult to rank because you don’t know what version of them you’ll get. Arizona had a magical run through the National League playoffs last year, making it to the World Series for the first time since their championship season in 2001. They return many of the same players, but the question is, was last year‘s Diamondbacks team just a group that got hot, or was it the beginning of something sustainable? I think it was the beginning of something sustainable. I really like the offseason that they had. I don’t know if they’ll make another run to the World Series, but I’m confident that from a regular season standpoint, they’re going to finish with more wins. They added Joc Pederson and Eugenio Suarez to their lineup for some much-needed pop, and you already have a really solid core of players that includes guys like Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly. I think Torey Lovullo does a phenomenal job managing that clubhouse as well. There’s a lot to like here in Arizona. 

Eduardo Rodriguez, their new free agent signing, had to leave a game with an injury the other day. He’s not known to be the most durable pitcher in the world, but I do like that signing, and it’s coming from somebody who was driven nuts by him when he was in Detroit. There’s depth to this rotation. We know how good Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are, but Brandon Pfaadt can come along, and Eduardo Rodriguez becomes your fourth starter; this immediately becomes one of the best teams in baseball. 

There’s something of a randomness to the Diamondbacks Ascension. It feels like they were awful not long ago, and it seems like they flipped a switch overnight. When you have a generational talent like Corbin Carroll, that might do the trick. I hope that they stay competitive this year; I think they will. They showed in the postseason last year that they’re definitely not afraid of the Dodgers; I think it’d be wonderful if LA had a little bit of competition in that division.