The Arizona Diamondbacks currently find themselves in a precarious spot. Fourth place in the NL West and hovering just above .500. In a division stacked with playoff-caliber competition, and with a loaded National League — that kind of play isn’t going to cut it come October.
Still, don’t sound the alarm just yet. Arizona just wrapped a six-game road trip with a 3-3 split, though it came at a price. The team suffered losses both on the field and on the roster. Reliever Justin Martinez landed on the injured list, and ace Corbin Burnes is now nursing mild shoulder inflammation — with the team optimistic that he’ll only miss one start. Fingers crossed.
To make matters worse, the D-backs dropped two of three to the Phillies in that stretch, with the offense going ice-cold for large stretches. But just when it looked like the team might limp home empty-handed, Sunday’s 11-9 extra-inning thriller reminded everyone exactly what this team is capable of.
The D-backs erupted for seven runs in the first four innings, then fended off multiple comeback attempts from the Phillies to close out the road trip with a gutsy win in extras. It wasn’t clean — but it showed character.
Why it’s too early to panic about the Diamondbacks
While the record may be underwhelming so far, there’s one undeniable reason Diamondbacks fans shouldn’t panic. The bats are still booming. Despite injuries and early pitching struggles, Arizona ranks:
- 8th in MLB in home runs (44)
- 4th in RBIs (175)
- 8th in wRC+ (109) — second among NL West teams
- 8th in Win Probability Added on offense (1.79)
In short, they’re still producing runs at a high clip — more than enough to stay competitive while the pitching staff tries to find its footing. The problem is that the pitching has done more harm than good, with the D-backs carrying a -1.29 WPA from the mound — a number that continues to drag them back toward the middle.
But there’s hope on the horizon. Ketel Marte’s return from the injured list adds power to a lineup that already features Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez and Corbin Carroll. With those bats anchoring the offense, the D-backs are still capable of putting up crooked numbers on any given night.
If Arizona can stay patient and do what they do best — make contact, hit for power, and grind out at-bats — they should be able to tread water until the rotation and bullpen stabilize. And if Burnes avoids a long-term issue, that would help flip the outlook.
Let’s also be realistic — offensive firepower alone won’t carry this team to the postseason, especially not in the NL West. If Arizona wants to make real noise, the front office will need to be aggressive. That might mean dealing from its offensive surplus to secure a frontline starter or bullpen reinforcement before the trade deadline.
But even with the roster as-is, this team has an identity. They’re one of the toughest lineups to navigate in the National League — and they’re still above .500 despite rocky pitching and key injuries.
Arizona returns home for a crucial stretch, with a series already underway against the New York Mets and followed by a marquee matchup against the Dodgers. It’s an early litmus test — not just for how they measure up in the standings, but for how much fight this team has in them.