2021 Diamondbacks Opening Day Roster in Retrospect

With the season soon coming to a close, what happened to the 2021 Diamondbacks Opening Day Roster?

The current roster of the Diamondbacks looks absolutely nothing like the Opening Day roster that debuted. There are hardly any of the same players whether it’s due to injury, ineffectiveness, or trade. The team has shed half of its opening day roster. If you include the taxi guys, then it’s exactly half of the team. That’s crazy.

Alas, the team that plays today is filled with young guys that are eager to prove their mettle. That’s the opposite of the Opening Day team which had mostly older players who were seeking to re-prove themselves this year.

With that, let’s look at the Starting Pitchers that started the year with the club. By the way, I am not including injured players since they didn’t debut with the team on Opening Day. They were earning service time, but they weren’t officially active.

Starting Pitchers:

Madison Bumgarner: Bumgarner has had such a roller coaster of a season. He started miserable allowing 6 runs in 4 innings against the Padres. The best moment of the season for him was his 7-inning No-Hitter against the Braves in late April. He’s been injured twice this year while mixing hot/cold streaks. Right now he’s on a cold streak but let’s hope he finishes the season strong. His overall stat line for the season is 7-10, 129.1 innings, 120 hits allowed, 36 walks, 112 K’s, 21 HRs allowed (insanely high), 4.66 ERA, and 4.63 FIP.

Merrill Kelly: Merrill Kelly was the workhorse of the rotation. He’s been the best and steadiest pitcher for the Dbacks all season. At least, until he contracted Covid and has been out since. Thankfully, he’s close to returning. Perhaps, even this week he could. A lot were expecting Kelly to be traded at the deadline. Thankfully he wasn’t. His stat line this year is 7-9, 24 games started, 142.1 innings, 143 hits, 18 HRs, 33 walks, 118 K’s, 4.30 ERA, and 3.91 FIP.

Caleb Smith: Well, he’s currently suspended after losing his appeal on substances being found in his glove. He started the year in the rotation until he got moved to the bullpen after one start. While in the bullpen, he excelled to the point the Dbacks put him back into the rotation. He fell apart in the rotation. He’s since been moved to the bullpen where he’s found some more success. His aggressive pitching and fastball dominant style play up in shorter stints of 1-3 innings out of the bullpen. He’s a solid weapon for sure if used right. His stat line for the year is a rather meh 4-9, 39 games, 13 starts, 105 innings, 87 hits, 18 HRs, 60 walks, 117 K’s, 5.06 ERA, and 5.05 FIP.

Luke Weaver: Luke started rough but then rounded into great form. He was pitching great until his shoulder injury. That caused him to miss from mid-May to early September. Since his return, he’s been relatively good. He’s avoided the big innings but still is rounding into shape. Luke needs to continue to build up his innings and pitching through the end of the season. Finish on a high note, Luke! Weaver’s stat line this year is 3-4, 10 games started, 51 innings, 43 hits, 15 walks, 45 K’s, 4.24 ERA, and 4.12 FIP.

Taylor Widener: Widener started the season in the rotation. It’s since been a roller-coaster of a season since of course. He got injured twice with a groin strain. When he came back in July-ish, he struggled to get going. He maintained a level of averageness by keeping the Diamondbacks in the game but not winning the game for them. As such, due to injuries, lack of innings last year, and just the Dbacks wanting to see other players, he’s now in the bullpen. Yep, 2/5 of our Opening Day rotation is in the bullpen. Taylor’s stat line for the year is 2-1, 16 games, 13 started, 63.1 innings, 57 hits allowed, 13 HRs, 34 walks, 66 K’s, 4.55 ERA, and 5.64 FIP (NOT GOOD).

The Bullpen, I’m so sorry Diamondbacks Fans

Taylor Clarke: Clarke is in the Minors now thankfully. This year just has not been his year. He’s been hit hard and given up tons of runs. He was injured for a large portion of the year. Yet, that doesn’t excuse how awful he’s performed. This was his first full year in the bullpen after losing a rotation spot to Widener. His overall stats this year are across 43.1 innings, 1-3, 52 hits, 28 runs allowed, 14 walks, 39 K’s, 4.98 ERA, and a better but still not great 3.53 FIP.

Stefan Crichton: You were the chosen one! After excelling as the team’s closer for the latter part of 2019 and 2020, he was expected to take a lead role in the bullpen this season. Alas, that’s the opposite of what happened. He started the season roughly. Ended up going down to Triple-AAA before coming back up for a short stint. He struggled once again and is back in Reno. His awful stat line for this year is 0-4, 31 games, 4 saves, 23.1 innings. 33 hits, 12 walks, 17 K’s, 7.33 ERA, and a 5.43 FIP. Ouch! Hopefully, over the off-season, he can smooth out his kinks and get back to 2019/20 Crichton.

Chris Devenski: This man is the only one still on the MLB roster, if only because he’s on the 60-Day IL. That’s right, the Dragon is out for the rest of the year due to Tommy John Surgery. It’s super sad as he had an excellent Spring Training to earn a roster spot. I had high hopes for him. If only he didn’t get injured. In the 8 games he pitched in, he had a rough start to the year. His season will end with a line of 1-0, 1 save, 7.1 innings, 11 hits, 2 walks, 5 K’s, 8.59 ERA, and a 6.57 FIP.

Kevin Ginkel: What in the world happened to Ginkel? He had so much potential. I truly considered him the closer of the future for the team after his 2019 performance. He struggled in 2020 as did many players. I basically wrote off 2020 for every player due to how few games were played. I really hope he figures it out over the offseason as we could sure use him. Unfortunately, he is out for the rest of the season due to an injury he suffered while with Reno. His season with the Dbacks ends with a line of 0-1, 32 games, 28.1 innings, 30 hits, 14 walks, 31 K’s, 6.35 ERA, and a 5.88 FIP.

Yoan Lopez: Yoan was supposed to be one of the next great Cuban stars in the MLB after signing for a massive 8 million dollar bonus by former GM Dave Stewart in 2015/16. Alas, he ended up in the bullpen where he showed some potential. Unfortunately, he was far too inconsistent and unable to avoid contact. After multiple bad showings, he was sent to the minors. He didn’t pitch any better there and the team eventually traded him to the Atlanta Braves. He’s currently playing in the Braves minor league system. His MLB stats with the Dbacks are 13 games, 12.1 innings, 18 hits, 10 runs, 6 walks, 13 K’s, 6.57 ERA, and a 5.67 FIP. Those numbers are abysmal in the MLB.

Riley Smith: Riley Smith was a young up-and-coming pitcher who had a good Spring Training. He impressed the coaches enough to earn a spot on the MLB roster. He just never was able to settle in. The team was constantly switching him between the rotation and bullpen.  He had to make multiple spot-starts. As a younger player, I’m not surprised the volatility of his role affected his playing. His FIP is almost 1.5 points lower than his ERA. He lost his roster spot when he got Covid. Upon his return, he was sent to the minors where he later got hurt. He’s expected to miss the rest of the season. Hope he can come back strong in February! His final stat line is 1-4, 24 games, 6 started, 1 save, 67.1 innings, 86 hits, 15 walks, 36 K’s, 6.01 ERA, and a 4.87 ERA.

Joakim Soria: Joakim is a valley native who loved pitching in the valley while he was here. If only he hadn’t gotten hurt when the season began. That threw the season off for him. Upon his return, he struggled but eventually got going. He ended his Dbacks time strong with multiple scoreless outings/saves. At the trade deadline, he was traded to the Blue Jays for prospects. Soria’s been a great help for a Blue Jays team pushing for the playoffs. Let’s hope he and Robbie Ray can make the playoffs this year. His stat-line with the Diamondbacks are 31 games, 1-4, 6 saves, 29.1 innings, 8 walks, 31 K’s, 4.30 ERA, and a better 3.74 FIP.

Alex Young: Alex Young is a talented left-hander who pitched great for the team from 2019-2020. The bottom-line stats may have said otherwise, but he pitched rather well. This year, the wheels came off the wagon. He cratered in terms of results and on-field play. It was like a different player was out there. At this point, with so many pitchers struggling, one has to look at the pitching coach, Matt Herges, as being responsible. In late July, the team placed Young on waivers where he was claimed by the Cleveland Indians. He’s currently playing in the MLB with the Indians after being called up. Hope he can prove the Diamondbacks wrong for letting him go. His stats in the desert this year are 30 games, 2 started, 2-6, 41.2 innings, 50 hits, 20 walks, 38 K’s, 6.26 ERA, and an equal 6.28 FIP.

The Infielders of the Diamondbacks have changed A LOT

Josh Rojas: Josh Rojas foreshadowed his breakout year by having a massive Spring Training. He was one of the top players in the spring in terms of hits and average. He had to fill in for Nick Ahmed on Opening Day. That meant he played shortstop. I think that’s a big reason why he started struggling a lot. He was playing a different position and just got off to a slump. He was missing pitches, making bad contact, and just looked lost at the plate. In his first 37 at-bats, he had TWO hits. Not Good. Then, on April 18th, he filled in for a player and made a last-minute spot start. He led off the game with a homer and has been fantastic since. Sometimes all it takes is just one swing to fix everything. His overall batting line for the season across 124 games is.269, .346, .428, .774, 109 OPS+, 30 doubles,  3 triples. 11 HRs, 42 RBIs, 7 SB, 52 walks, 119 K’s, and has started games at SS, 2B, RF, LF, and 3B. That multi-position versatility is impressive! In case you didn’t know, Rojas grew up in the valley and supporting the Dbacks!

Christian Walker: Walker, where did everything go wrong? This season has easily been the worst in his pro baseball career. Honestly, I’m not sure that he is truly healthy. He had two separate long stints on the Injured List for oblique issues. Oblique injuries can last a really long time, especially if you come back too soon. After all, Steven Souza Jr. missed 3 months or so with an oblique strain in 2018. He just hasn’t looked right at the plate all year. His timing is off, his swing is off. He isn’t getting that massive power that we know he has. I truly think he is just injured. Now, he’s set to lose playing time to Seth Beer and Pavin Smith. I hope Walker has a big final few weeks to secure his spot on this team for next year. His defense at first has been better than either of the other two. Nonetheless, his batting line for this year is .232, .305, .351, .655, 78 OPS+, 44 runs, 80 hits, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 7 HRs, 38 RBIs, 34 walks, 90 K’s, and has played in 98 games. “Sky” Walker needs to relearn the Force once more.

Asdrubal Cabrera: The old man of the team. The grizzled veteran of 15 years in the big leagues came to the team late in spring training. He started really hot, hitting everything in sight. Then, he suffered a bad hamstring strain. Upon his return a month or so later, he continued to lead the club. He taught our young guys what it’s like to play in the big leagues. I was shocked he wasn’t traded at the deadline. Around mid to late August, the team and Asdrubal agreed to split ways and put him on waivers. This way, he could get on a playoff-contending team and have a chance to make the playoffs. He could be a part of meaningful games late in September. The Reds claimed off waivers and he’s been there ever since. His batting line for the Dbacks over 90 games was .244, .324, .392, 94 OPS+, 34 runs, 21 doubles, 7 HRs, 40 RBIs, 33 walks, and 73 K’s.

Eduardo Escobar: Mr. Smiley! Oh, how I miss his excitement, joy, and smiles! I even miss his fear of cats. Escobar in a lot of ways was the heartbeat of the team. He brought passion, fun, and energy. Alas, the Diamondbacks failed this year in being competitive. As such, due to him being in the final year of his contract, the team knew they would need to acquire something for him. He played from mid-2018 to mid-2021, three good years of 69 HRs, and 240 RBIs. His batting line with the team this year ended as 98 games, .246, .300, .478, .778, 107 OPS+, 50 runs, 14 doubles, 3 triples, 22 HRs, 65 RBIs, 29 walks, and 85 K’s. Our 2021 All-Star will be in the playoffs this year, go Milwaukee!

Nick Ahmed: The ole’ captain of the infield. Our longtime shortstop has had another Nick Ahmed year. That means he’s been excellent on defense and leaves a lot to be expected on offense. This has been one of the worst offensive years in his career. He’s under contract with the team through 2023. With no real shortstop prospects developing yet, Geraldo Perdomo has struggled mightily this year, Ahmed should continue to be the shortstop for the team. Originally acquired in the Justin Upton trade, his batting line this year so far is 127 games, 46 runs, 29 doubles, 3 triples, 5 HRs, 38 RBIs, 7 SBs, 34 walks, 102 K’s, .222, .282, .340, .622, and a 69 OPS+. SlickNick indeed.

Josh VanMeter: He came to the Diamondbacks in the 2020 season by being included in the Archie Bradley trade. He is a pure second baseman and pinch hitter. He struggled early on in the season and ended up being sent back down to Triple-AAA Reno. While there, he showed a lot of improvement and got called back up in late June. He’s been up with the club ever since showing off good power. Overall for the year, he’s hitting at a clip of .207, .298, .362, .660, 79 OPS+, 23 runs, 17 doubles, 2 triples, 5 HRs, 32 RBIs, 2 SBs, 30 walks, 69 K’s, and has done that in 98 games.

Wyatt Mathisen: I’m not sure anyone truly expected much from Wyatt, a career Quad-AAAA player. What that means is he’s too good for Triple-AAA but not good enough for the MLB. In his case, he’s had a down year throughout multiple systems. He got demoted from the team after struggling in limited at-bats across 23 games. From there, he got purchased by the Rays. The Rays then sold him to the Mariners after he struggled for the Rays. The Mariners released him after he failed to get much going in Triple-AAA for them. Most recently, he signed a minors deal with the Giants. Hopefully, he can get back on track there. His line with the Diamondbacks this season is .119, .255, .190, .455, 24 OPS+, 3 runs, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 5 walks, and 21 K’s. He simply struck out way too much while making no contact.

Our Outfielders are mostly the same minus one fan-favorite player

Pavin Smith: A darkhorse top-5 rookie of the year vote-getter perhaps? Pavin started amazing this year. He showcased great patience, power, and fielding. Despite never playing in the outfield much, he learned it on the fly and did better than many could’ve hoped for. He’s played all the outfield positions and first base. That’s really good for a first baseman, a spot many consider to be for the defensively challenged. Pavin has established himself as a franchise building block for the team. What a great first-ever pick by Mike Hazen as GM of the team.

David Peralta: The Freight Train and heart of the team since he came in 2014. He’s rumbled around the bases so many times in his time with the team. I can’t not think of Peralta when I hear a train horn. After all, Chase Field plays it every time he gets a double, triple, or HR. He’s had a subpar year by his standards. Additionally, he isn’t playing as much since the team is wanting to get some younger players look. They know what Peralta can do and how much he means to the team. Plus, the team has him signed through 2022. I have faith that Master Peralta will do well in 2022. His 8 triples currently lead all of the MLB. He’s hitting at a rate of .263, .327, .414,  .741, 100 OPS+, 53 runs, 26 doubles, 8 HRs, 56 RBIs, 2 SBs, 39 walks, and 82 K’s.

Ketel Marte: The Franchise Player. The one that the team is building around. The player who NEEDS to be playing at 2nd. Mike, keep this man healthy, stop throwing him in the outfield. We are overloaded with outfield prospects but little in terms of infield prospects. I digress. Ketel is the player that the Dbacks are beyond happy to have. He’s our favorite, the current-Goldy. We need Ketel to stay healthy after learning what a year without him in the lineup for most of it is like. Ketel’s having an extremely good year despite the injuries. I can’t wait for the team to continue building around him. He’s under contract with the team through 2024. His batting line over 74 games this year is .319, .378, .523, .901, 142 OPS+, 44 runs, 22 doubles, 1 triple, 11 HRs, 42 RBIs, 1 SB, 25 walks, and only 49 K’s.

Tim Locastro: Crash Test Dummy! The speedy man who set an MLB record with the Diamondbacks by stealing the most bases to start a career before being caught. Unfortunately, he eventually got caught and dislocated his finger to make it worse. After his return, he just never got back on track whether it was stealing or hitting. He continued to struggle to make contact or being the speed threat on the bases. In early July, he was traded to the Yankees who were in desperate need of outfielders. To make matters worse for Locastro, a few games into his Yankees career, he suffered a torn ACL while making an incredible play in the outfield. He’s out until Spring Training 2022 at the earliest. His batting line while with the Dbacks over 55 games is .178, .271, .220, .491, 36 OPS+, 11 runs, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 SBs, 6 walks, and 26 K’s.

The Diamondbacks roster has changed so much throughout this season. In fact, 63 different players have appeared on the Dbacks roster this season. That’s A LOT for one season. There’s been 28 different position players and 35 different pitchers. 16 different pitchers have combined to start all the team’s games. That’s far too many. That’s 3+ MLB starting rotations. The injuries and poor performances have been far too many. In this off-season, all the players need to go to spas and do yoga. Get ready for next year. Stay healthy.

As always,

May the Force be with You…