Today’s Lineups
|
DIAMONDBACKS |
PADRES |
|---|---|
|
Ketel Marte – 2B |
Fernando Tatis – RF |
|
Ildemaro Vargas – SS |
Jackson Merrill – CF |
|
Corbin Carroll – RF |
Xander Bogaerts – SS |
|
Gabriel Moreno – C |
Gavin Sheets – 1B |
|
Max Kepler – LF |
Jake Cronenworth – 2B |
|
Lourdes Gurriel – DH |
Luis Campusano – C |
|
Nolan Arenado – 3B |
Miguel Andujar – DH |
|
Pavin Smith – 1B |
Jase Bowen – LF |
|
Tommy Troy – CF |
Sung-Mun Song – 3B |
|
Jose Cabrera – RHP |
Michael King – RHP |
As Alex Weiner noted last night, the D-backs after 91 games have exactly the same 45-46 point they had after 91 games in both 2024 and 2025. Of course, in neither of the previous season did Arizona end up making the playoffs. But things the rest of the way went rather different. In 2024, the D-backs had the second-best record in the National League from this point on, going 44-27. Unfortunately, the New York Mets were almost as good, and their 45-28 mark proved sufficient to bring them into a three-way tie with the Diamondbacks on 89 wins, and that infamous double-header against the Braves which saw both side win the tie-breaker against us.
In 2025, however, the mediocrity continued. They were a mere 35-36 thereafter, on their way to eighty wins. However, the bar was considerably lower to reach the post-season. A mere 83 wins was sufficient for the Reds to make the playoffs – ironically, it was the Mets turn to lose out on the tiebreaker. The D-backs could have been involved as well. In their penultimate series, they walked off the Dodgers to move to 80-77: winning three of their last five contests would have had them finish on 83 wins as well (though they dropped the season series to the Reds anyway). But they lost all five contests, and were eliminated after Friday night’s loss in San Diego.
Which way will things break over the remainder of 2026? Only time will tell. We don’t know if the team will buy or sell, and that could well be a factor. Or maybe not. After all, Mike Hazen sold last year, but the D-backs then went on a bit of a tear to keep things interesting into the final week. Meanwhile, the 2024 team bought A.J. Puk and Josh Bell, and after 140 games were 2.5 games clear. But they played below .500 ball the rest of the way, going 10-12, and that ended up costing them. So it’s very hard to predict. But as the chart above shows, the rest of the way we can’t possibly find ourselves with the same record as 2025 and 2024 again!
Read the full article here