Diamondbacks averaging over seven runs per game

Spring Training has been nothing short of spectacular for the Diamondbacks. They have racked up a 22-8 record so far, four more wins than anyone else. Their bats have been relentless this spring, leading the league in runs scored, hits, batting average and OPS.

At the forefront this preseason has been shortstop Jean Segura. Acquired in a trade this offseason with the Brewers, he has been hitting a ridiculous .517/.541/.776 with three homers and nine RBI. Following close behind is Nick Ahmed with a .419/.413/.710 triple slash. The two infielders have been locked in a competition for the starting shortstop gig, and there is no doubt that that has helped them play at the peak of their ability.

Another solid player for the Diamondbacks has been Peter O’Brien. The 25-year-old outfielder and catcher has so far hit for a respectable .267/.302/.550. But his greatest asset has been his power– O’Brien has hit a team-high five home runs in 59 at-bats, including an eighth-inning, game-tying moonshot that landed over 460 feet away. Not only that, but it was the hardest-hit home run in MLB history with a whopping 119.5 MPH exit velocity. This kind of power bat will be invaluable as a utility player during the regular season.

Arizona had the second-best offense in the National League last year. The team scored 720 total runs, or an average of 4.4 runs per game. By comparison, they have scored 213 runs in 30 preseason games–an average of 7.1 runs per game. At this pace, the Diamondbacks would score 1,150 runs in a 162-game season, just 70 runs shy of the record set in 1894 by the Boston Beaneaters (What a team name).

This would also make them the only team to score 1,000 runs in a season since the 1999 Indians. Of course, scoring seven runs every game over the course of an 162 game season is unsustainable, but that just goes to show how incredible the Diamondbacks’ bats have been.