Swing Away

 

Is it weird to anyone else that a team run by Bruce Bochy is going into a potential playoff spot with the supposed rotation being Jacob deGrom, Merrill Kelly and Patrick Corbin? With Tyler Mahle and Nate Eovaldi being too injured to contribute? It's either a mad lib gone wrong or somebody's 2020 MLB the Show team like 3 seasons in. 

It's weird that we're here, and even weirder that the Rangers, with all the backpedaling they did this season and continued injury woes, are still a game and a half behind the Mariners for a wild card spot. And arguably they've had better luck against Houston than the Mariners have.

I think it comes from the fact that the Rangers dial more into desperation than the Mariners do. You get a sense from the Rangers that they don't want to lose games, and you see all these clutch hits from guys like Rowdy Tellez and Michael Helman and Sam Haggerty, and especially Kyle Higashioka. This is a very good clutch teams, and they're capable of legging out the close games in addition to the offensive blowouts, the sort that happen when you employ Corey Seager, Adolis Garcia and Wyatt Langford. It does feel like a circus of great offensive weapons, guys like Jake Burger and Joc Pederson and Marcus Semien. We're not in full 2023 10-run landslide territory, but we're seeing steady and enviable offensive production. Corey Seager, despite the missed time, will get MVP votes this year, and has a 5+ WAR for the third time since joining the Rangers. Garcia has 73 RBIs and even more great defensive moments. Michael Helman now has an .886 OPS, and he's been in the lineup more. The offense has come around, thankfully.

The problem I still see with this team is the bullpen, even if that's coming around. I still don't think Robert Garcia's a very good closer, and the team seems to agree, as now Shawn Armstrong seems to be getting more save opportunities, and doing better at it. Maton and Coulombe have been disappointing since coming over. There doesn't seem to be many tried-and-true solid bullpen options here, just guys who are good now and probably won't be for long. And that's kind of an issue if you're trying to compete. Even if you get peak Merrill Kelly to post a 3 ERA in 7 starts with 35 Ks, you can't let that go to waste. And I'm really concerned about that. At least the Mariners have some solid bullpen pieces, ones that aren't 35 or older.

I'm open to the Rangers lapping somebody and putting their name in the ring, but if they're gonna be up there in the wild card race, they need to sustain it, and they need to earn it. If their bullpen screws them out of this one, they'll have no one to blame but themselves for getting everyone's hopes up.

Coming Tomorrow- It was only 20 years ago that you could open a pack of Topps and find a draft pick card of a guy who'd make the majors that very year, and it'd be a valid rookie card. It feels like an eternity ago but it was that recent. One of them's still pitching. 

My Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals of 2025

 It's odd talking about this specific trade deadline, because it doesn't SEEM like a lot of huge pieces came off the board, but they really did. This was a year without many BIG stars changing hands, maybe one or two [in deals that, to be frank, did not make my list], but a lot of the big deals concerned relief pitchers and utility guys. This was a year where Jose Caballero and Willi Castro getting dealt were both big deals, and it was warranted rather than 'this is all we have to talk about'. It honestly speaks to the quality of the relief pitching in this deadline, as it wasn't like 'who's gonna get this 29 year old having a fluke year?' or anything, like there were a lot of big relievers and closers getting dealt, and it all pretty much made sense.

And yes, we got through the deadline without Luis Robert, Joe Ryan, Sandy Alcantara, Jacob deGrom, Dylan Cease or even Paul Skenes getting traded. Yet it all seemed satisfying and not anticlimactic. I guess I'd call it a win, and not because of how both my teams did.

So, as is custom, I'm gonna rank my top 10 trade deadlines of this year. There'll be another post for the honorable mentions I still wanted to talk about, and another still about the ones where the GM's actions frankly puzzled me.

But let's get into it with a deal that honestly, by the end of the year, might be too lowly-ranked.

#10: Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Reds, Taylor Rogers to the Pirates [and eventually the Cubs], fellow CIN prospect to the Pirates.

The Reds filled a lot of smaller holes this deadline, but their biggest hole was at third base. They have tried Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario, Santiago Espinal and Garrett Hampson at third this season. None of them worked. So why not bring in a guy who can definitely play third base. Sneakily, Ke'Bryan Hayes has been having a nice year at the corner, and he continues to be one of the best defensive third basemen in the game. Now, granted, he's not *hitting*, but you never know when he'll go on a tear. I just think that Hayes was the corner stability the Reds needed, and even if he doesn't hit, he'll be a pretty nice piece of this Reds team as they head towards a potential playoff run. 

#9: Merrill Kelly to the Rangers, 3 prospects to the Diamondbacks

I've ranked this one so lowly because I honestly don't think the Rangers needed rotation help, especially considering that before they went on the streak they were gonna deal deGrom anyway. But...this still gives one of the best starters in the league to a rotation that already has deGrom, Eovaldi and Jack Leiter in it. That's honestly pretty scary to me. This will depend on whether or not the Rangers are as good as their July has been. Because they have the pieces in place, and only now are they starting to act like they're supposed to. I think there's a chance they keep rolling, but I also know how inconsistent the Rangers have been this year. Either way Kelly will help, and it's kind of wild to see the Rangers bring on a guy who squared off against them in the 2023 World Series.

#8: Ryan McMahon to the Yankees, 2 prospects to the Rockies

As far as a Cashman pull goes, it may not seem like much. Because of the Yankees' reluctance to trade some of its most prized prospects [Spencer Jones, George Lombard, Jasson Dominguez honestly], a lot of the bigger deadline weapons we were after didn't end up happening. Initially when the McMahon deal happened it felt like a poor consolation for Eugenio Suarez. But honestly, just from what I've seen from McMahon so far, I think we made the right decision. We needed a sure thing at third base, and McMahon is not only that everyday corner guy, but his contact hitting has revitalized the team. Already he's hitting .350 as a Yankee with 8 hits and 4 RBIs. He doesn't need to be the star, but he's steady, consistent and really impressive. Like Chisholm last year, McMahon just seems like just the kind of guy we need right now.

#7: Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano to the Padres, 5 prospects to the Orioles

Very smart move by A.J. Preller. There's another move I'll talk about tomorrow that was even sneakier in filling a need, but the Padres needed an outfield upgrade and one more thumper for the lineup, and they got two perfect pieces. Ryan O'Hearn in a lineup that already has Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis, Gavin Sheets and Jackson Merrill is dangerous. He will fit right in there. And Laureano going to this outfield is a blessing because he doesn't have to start every day. His defense makes him an upgrade over a lot of their other OF options, and he's a good bench bat when needed. I think Gavin Sheets should be getting more starts out there, but Laureano gives them flexibility. The trouble I had with him in Baltimore is that he was playing a starring role when he really should have been a backup, but that's more the fault of the team this year. 

Speaking of Orioles outfielders..

#6: Cedric Mullins to the Mets, 3 prospects to the Orioles

Going into this season, even before we knew the O's would have a drop-off, it was clear that Cedric Mullins was likely on the way out. He'd been there for eight seasons, came into his own right when the team needed him and was a marquee star as they built their youth movement. He'd done enough. The Mets now have an outfield of Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo and Cedric Mullins. That's pretty excellent in my opinion. Mullins is still versatile, still quick, and still powerful. He now gets to help a team get to October. I see no real drawbacks here, though because Mullins is having a comparative down year I'm not sure if that'll carry over.

#5: Josh Naylor to the Mariners, 2 prospects to the D-Backs

The Mariners, even in the midst of a division battle that's getting much more competitive, made some really nice moves to boost the lethality of their lineup. Naylor at the corner in T-Mobile Park is definitely a step up. Even in a year that's not quite to the quality of his Cleveland run, Naylor is still an excellent contact hitter, hitting .292 with 11 homers and 59 RBIs. In Seattle he vastly improves the 1st base situation and adds another surefire bat to a lineup that, even before this weekend, ranked as one of the most troublesome ones in the AL. If October is on the Mariners' mind this year, which it is, they've also procured an excellent postseason performer. 

#4: Jhoan Duran to the Phillies, Mick Abel and another prospect to the Twins

Finally, the Phillies get a legit answer in the ninth after every other closing option fell apart. And yes, I am aware of how often we use the trade deadline to get a surefire closer that then struggles to save games once he gets here. It happened with Ian Kennedy, it happened with David Robertson, it happened with Carlos Estevez. However, Jhoan Duran is under 30. He's also still in his prime, in the midst of a great season, and is scarily dominant. He is the missing link for a bullpen that's honestly coming into its own. Though, to be fair, if our bullpen IS, in fact, cursed, then you'll file this away with the others. I just have hope that he'll be the one, though. 

#3: David Bednar to the Yankees, 3 prospects to the Pirates

Like the Phillies, the Yankees also went through some aggravation to find a ninth inning man this year. Both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have been spottier in save situations this year, and it's clear that both should be in setup roles. All that remained was a better, more reliable closer. And since June I'd say, David Bednar has been one of the most reliable closers in baseball. I only attribute his struggles to moments leading up to and following an injury- everything else has been fantastic. Pittsburgh fans loved him, and hopefully he'll appeal to Yankee fans as well. I just think he's a pretty reliable bet in the ninth, though I do worry he'll go back to his April luck in a bigger stadium. 

#2: Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to the Padres, Leo de Vries and three other prospects to the Athletics

This one is so high because I did not think the A's were going to deal Mason Miller, as he's a young, controllable phenom that I thought they'd keep until Vegas. But evidently the GM got an offer from A.J. Preller that he couldn't refuse, and I think Leo de Vries was part of that, despite the fact that Jacob Wilson also exists. Mason Miller is a terrific closer and unbelievable hard-throwing pitcher, but putting him in a minor league stadium did not do him justice. He gives the Padres an even safer bet in the ninth than Robert Suarez, and he could be closing there for years. And in a deadline season where the Padres still dealt some excess arms [Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek got dealt, more on that tomorrow], J.P. Sears is a very smart late-rotation addition that not only adds yet another ex-Yankee to this rotation [alongside Vazquez and King], but puts a consistent, reliable starter alongside Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease. I'd put that against the Dodgers' circus of arm strains anyday.

But of course, as wild as it was to see a trade that actually got Mason Miller out of Sacramento, it could not take the top spot. The top spot had to go to a fit so perfect that I could have sworn I'd seen it before...

#1: Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners, Tyler Locklear and 2 prospects to the Diamondbacks

Look, some things are just clear. We know Geno in Seattle works, it worked a couple years ago. We know Geno's having an excellent season, and right at the trade he became the D-Backs' WAR leader this season. We know he can hit home runs and for contact. We know he's still in his prime. And we know he and Josh Naylor were on the same wavelength. Putting him back into this lineup makes it clear that the Mariners have the best lineup in the division now. They have more assets than Houston, more clear power hitters than Texas, and better pitching security than either. And yes, the Astros had a similar reunion today, and you're probably wondering why it's not at this spot. Without getting fully into a rant I'll have later on...Eugenio Suarez has a space meant for him. He doesn't have to squeeze into someone else's for a month or so. 

For now, the Mariners just bulked up their lineup with someone they know works in Seattle, and they just made a major stake towards the East title. It's gonna make the rest of the season very interesting, that's for sure.

Tomorrow I'll talk about some of the trades that didn't make this list, and why.

Them's the Snakes

 

The Diamondbacks are a very puzzling team. Fundamentally they are good, and have some of the best players in the majors playing well for them, but they're a sub-.500 4th place team in a competitive division, 5 and a half games out from the nearest competitor, they just lost their best pitcher to Tommy John [the second starter they've lost to this in 2025], and they've been responsible for some of the most notorious losses of the past week. Brandon Pfaadt and the gang taking 12 batters and 8 runs to record an out? Yeah, that was them, care of the Nats. And that's just the one you heard about. 

Recently, the D-Backs have lost a game 10-1 to the Pirates, gotten cleaned out by the Reds 13-1, and got swept by the Cardinals on three straight 1-run games. The necessary precautions are being carried out, and Scott McGough, the scapegoat reliever, is off the team. But aside from sweeping the Braves due to the Braves having even worse luck than them for a second, the D-Backs are still kinda in freefall. After hitting .269 in May, the D-Backs are hitting .222 in June so far, and their defense is shockingly below-average, with only Ketel Marte and Tim Tawa looking like commendable defensive players. It's very good that Carroll, Marte, Naylor, Perdomo and Suarez are hitting, but the back half of the lineup drops off and can't really match up.

What is apparent is that the pitching is beginning to rebound from its 5ish ERA in May, and is driving the bus a little more in this stretch. Merrill Kelly, in the wake of Burnes's injury and Gallen's inconsistency, has become the default ace, and has been very strong, going 6-2 with a 3.43 ERA and 72 Ks. This is the sort of uniform quality Kelly was responsible for before his 2024 injury, and with everything else that's gone wrong for this rotation, it's important that he's back to where he was. Meanwhile, Gallen, Pfaadt and Rodriguez are all struggling, and Ryne Nelson is doing his best in the back half. This is not what the D-Backs had in mind going into this year, a rotation trying to keep up with itself, but because of all the overthrowing going on systematically, two of the team's best pitchers are hurt and two more are struggling to recover from their own injuries. The good news is that Justin Martinez is back, and looks good, while Shelby Miller has been a pretty strong RP1 presence. It's not perfect, and it's barely good, but there's been a palpable improvement.

The Diamondbacks have an impossible situation and are just trying to make the best of it. There's enough great seasons that they'll be able to come away from 2025 with some dignity, but given the amount that's got wrong it's a wonder they'll have their dignity to begin with.

Coming Tomorrow- A DH for a team that, until recently, was doing quite badly, and now is improving somewhat.

New Trim, Same Approach

 

There's picking up where you left off, and there's the 2024 Diamondbacks. Who are beginning the season with exemplary production from Ketel Marte and Lourdes Gurriel, stellar starts from Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, an appalling back half of the rotation and some missed 'big games'. The most striking difference between this year and last year might be the newfound emphasis on mint green, lacing the uniforms in almost every opportunity. I do really like a lot of the D-Backs' new uniform rotation, and the cream-and-maroon ones should be their new standard, it really works for them. 

I will add, by the way, that there are some new faces on this team, and they have mostly boosted the power department. Joc Pederson is hitting .333 in the DH position, with 6 RBIs and 2 homers, and he seems honestly pretty perfect for this team. As does Eugenio Suarez, who already has 13 RBIs. The one issue with that is that it has made this team a lot bulkier and less defensively-inclined. Yes, they still have Christian Walker and Ketel Marte, but without Gerardo Perdomo and Alek Thomas, the number of great defenders has gone down, and that does explain why the D-Backs are down a few pegs in the standings. 

The pitching picture is basically the same as last year. Same bullpen picture, same back half, all of that. And both Kyle Nelson and Tommy Henry are picking up from last year by being mediocre. Brandon Pfaadt is improving, but had some dismal starts to start off as well. And that's really the issue, as it was last year- once you get past Gallen and Kelly, it's easier to win against these guys. It's especially the case this year, because Gallen and Kelly are having excellent seasons. Gallen's 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 26 Ks, and Kelly's 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA and 21 Ks. Both of these guys are still in their prime, and both are among the best pitchers in the league. The fact that Kelly was able to go from a fluke 'let's see if this guy has anything after coming back from KBO' guy to a trusted member of this rotation is fantastic. He's barely missed any starts, and has been reliable pretty much every year he's been in Arizona. This is the last year he's contracted with the team, though he does have an option if the D-Backs like what he does for them this year [which is pretty likely].

I just wish the D-Backs had a more definitive answer about the rest of the rotation. The idea is that they'll get Jordan Montgomery eventually, and that Eduardo Rodriguez will pop by at some point, but until then the really need to turn around people like Nelson and Pfaadt, or else it's just gonna be easy to beat this team for a while. And in a season with so many NL West competitors, they need to make it more complex than that.

Coming Tonight: One of the many traded players the Rays have turned into stars.

Division Series' Day One: One League Defied Expectations

 

So, uh, congrats to Texas on a job well done in Day 1 of the ALDS's. Uh...good for Texas. Maybe not good for me because I like the Orioles and Twins better, but...y'know, more on 'em.

The Rangers-O's game was heartbreaking but understandable. If the O's are going with rookie starters with John Means likely hurt again, and the Rangers are going with Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning, this sort of thing is gonna happen. The O's were limited all game and couldn't get much done, while the Rangers got material out of Evan Carter and Josh Jung. It was close for a bit, but the Rangers' pen held it down, and the Rangers squeaked out a Game 1 win. With Gumby on the mound today against Grayson Rodriguez, they're hoping for similar luck.

....I'm so friggin sick of this team, guys.

Hey, the Twins are surging and coming into their own, and they're starting a young pitcher against Justin Verl-this isn't gonna be close, is it? 

You know the drill at this point. Verlander was untouchable, Altuve and Alvarez hit homers...this is just reruns from last year. I am so sick of the Astros just copypasting stuff from previous teams with no decay and no league repercussions. Altuve missed several months this year, then came back and started playing like he's still in his prime, and...I want Altuve to have one consequence. Just one consequence for his reprehensible actions. Possibly more. 

The Twins have Pablo Lopez tonight, he's been solid. The Astros have Framber Valdez, who, in theory, is their best pitcher, but has been way streakier than he was in 2022. The Twins could fight back. I kinda hope they do.

It's as simple as this. The Braves were losing momentum during the second half of September. The Phillies were gaining momentum, and gained even more at home against Miami. This was bound to happen.

Even with a great pitcher on the mound in Spencer Strider, the Phils snipped some runs away in between the strikeouts, including a Harper homer. Meanwhile, Suarez was strong from the start, the bullpen was masterful, and the defense was even better than usual, with Turner pulling that insane double play late to stop the Braves' offense. The Phillies looked incredible during Game 1, a sort of ironclad performance that I hope they can keep up for as long as possible. I do fear the Braves will eventually regain the momentum, but we silenced them at home for the first time all season. Something could be happening.

Kershaw in October, folks. What else can be said?

Look, when you lose all your good pitchers to injuries, then lose even more to suspensions, and the guys you have left are a guy who gets injured every year, two rookies and a veteran who just struggled coming back from an injury less than a year ago, any sense of high seedage isn't gonna save you. The Dodgers got by for a while without starting pitching, and now they're against a team with a scorching offense, a minimal rotation that still won while starting Brandon Pfaadt, and a lineup that got the best of Corbin Burnes. This may not end well.

Judging by Game 1, they're gonna need to hope that Lynn and Miller have something in 'em. The barrage of runs from Carroll, Longoria, Gurriel, Moreno and various others was a huge wake-up call. I will say, the Diamondbacks' unsung hero might have been Merrill Kelly, who shut down one of the most consistent lineups in the game and didn't allow any runs. 

The Dodgers are gonna need to hope that they can figure out this team, because if not, it's gonna be another tough postseason for them.

More AL shenanigans today. Hoping for somebody to go 1-1.

Phoenix Stuns

 

Week and a half into the season and the Arizona Diamondbacks lead the NL West. Mostly from wins they picked up against San Diego and Los Angeles.

Because...why should anything about this season be predictable?

The Diamondbacks, who are appropriately playing the Brewers, one of the other best NL teams of the first week and a half of play, rose up in an inexplicable way to begin the season. Firstly and most impressively, their top player of the stretch was not a poster boy like Ketel Marte, nor an ace like Zac Gallen, and not even a rookie like Corbin Carroll...but shortstop Geraldo Perdomo. Pedromo currently has a .438 average, leads the team in RBIs with 8, and leads the team in WAR with 0.9. Considering how tricky it was for the defensive youngster to find the plate last year, this is a welcome development that also makes the D-Backs a little less worried for what happens after Nick Ahmed's rocky 4-year-deal runs out at the end of the year.

Ahmed, meanwhile, is also doing well to begin the season, and is looking healthier than he has since the 2020 season. And weirdly, one of the other 30something infield options, Evan Longoria, has also had an excellent start to the season, hitting .429 with 2 homers and 6 hits in 14 at-bats. Like Ahmed, you really want Longoria to stay healthy for as long as possible knowing what's often the case, but these numbers are definitely helpful now. Plus, Corbin Carroll has already stolen 5 bases, Drey Jameson has been stellar in relief and is now getting moved to the rotation, and former Blue Jays third-stringer Gabriel Moreno has been looking very good covering for Carson Kelly. 

And then you also have Merrill Kelly, Josh Rojas, Ketel Marte and Jake McCarthy, who seem to be picking up where 2022 left off and rounding out the team. There's some people who've gotten off to worrying starts, and while Zac Gallen I imagine is gonna snap back to normal, Christian Walker returning to hitting below the Mendoza line I could have told you was gonna happen. But the bottom line is that more people on this Diamondbacks team are producing promising results, especially the young guys, that I can't exactly count this team out going forward, even knowing that April numbers often don't translate to full season greatness.

The D-Backs have been building, slowly, for the last 3 or 4 years, and for something to finally look decent now is not only understandable but refreshing. I don't know if other division series' is gonna level them a bit, or if this Brewers series is gonna be the wake-up call they needed, but seeing this team playing this well, and seeing who exactly is showing up, is a nice change of pace.

Coming Tonight: A third-baseman who apparently just needed a year to adjust to playing in Toronto, judging by how incredible he's been so far.

Merrill, Steep

 

Last week I talked about the odd fact that the Padres managed to land in fourth despite having a very similar record to the top three teams. And while San Diego is still in fourth...that's as low as they're probably going to get in this. That's also as low as a lot of the conflict might go in the NL West. The Dodgers and Giants are fighting for first, the Rockies and Padres are fighting below them...

and like 4 or 5 games back, the Diamondbacks are fighting themselves.

Yeah, things aren't going well for Phoenix at all right now. Only one starting batter has an average over .200, and that's thankfully Ketel Marte. The rest of the lineup, including highly-touted youngsters like Pavin Smith and Daulton Varsho, plus trusted veterans like David Peralta and Carson Kelly, is currently being outhit by a guy named after an alcoholic beverage. Kelly has a .045 batting average now. This means that Carson Kelly has gotten exactly 1 hit in 22 at-bats. That's...appallingly bad, especially for a guy who was off to an amazing start last season. It's really just Marte and Seth Beer doing a lot of the work in the lineup, and that's not good at all.

However, and this might be the shocking part given what I just told you...the pitching isn't too bad at all!

Merrill Kelly, through 2 starts and 9.1 innings, hasn't allowed a run and has 13 strikeouts. Madison Bumgarner has a 2.25 ERA and, like Noah Syndergaard, is focusing less on strikeouts and more on craftsmanship. Humberto Castellanos had a very strong start the other day, and could be an excellent fifth option if Caleb Smith really is cooked. None of them have amassed any wins, though. Neither have Zac Gallen or Zach Davies. 

And that's what separates this D-Backs team from a lot of other bad teams. A rotation of Bumgarner-Davies-Kelly-Gallen-Castellanos is a lot better than most bad teams. It remains to be seen whether Castellanos is for real, or whether Davies is anything more than an adequate innings-eater, but there is genuine skill in these five guys. Same with the closing option, perennial All-Star Mark Melancon, who has saved 1 of the D-Backs' 3 victories. And so far J.B. Wendelken, Joe Mantiply, Sean Poppen, Kyle Nelson and Corbin Martin have all been solid relief options; additionally, I'm just so happy that Oliver Perez is still on a major league roster.

So...the pitching for this team is actually quite good, and can withstand a lot of the pressure of this division. If the hitting were in any way positive right now I'd be impressed. But I do think this team's inefficiency in its lineup will hold it back big time, and will grate on these pitchers. A few of them might be gone by August. Take your bets on which ones.

Coming Tonight: A guy who has hit 3 home runs so far for my team.

Nice Teams Finish Last?

 

37 players have pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks this season. That's not good. Typically you want like 15 to 20, for trial and error and all. THIRTY SEVEN.

["...in a row?"]

Even worse, 10 of those players are either DFA'd or no longer with the team, 6 of those players are injured, another 6 have ERAs higher than 10, and 4 of them are position players. Thankfully we are getting to the point where the D-Backs are bringing up competent pitchers, like Brett De Geus, Tyler Clippard, Sean Poppen and Tyler Gilbert, who've all been excellent in relief so far. But that really sums up the Diamondbacks this year- you have to go through 20 or 30 people who don't work to get to 9 or 10 who do. And baseball shouldn't have that much 'error' in trial and error.

Regardless, the D-Backs are now working without Eduardo Escobar, Tim Locastro, Stephen Vogt and Joakim Soria. A lot of big pieces, like Ketel Marte, Nick Ahmed, David Peralta and Madison Bumgarner, still remain. But none of them are playing too well. Marte and MadBum have struggled with injuries, and Peralta is hitting .248 and acting very boilerplate. The good seasons in Phoenix have asterisks next to them almost. Carson Kelly's had a nice season, but he's only hitting .251 and was injured for a month. Merrill Kelly's the best of the rotation, but he's got a 7-8 record and a 4 ERA. Zac Gallen's on a decent pace, but he's got a 1-6 record! Talent means nothing if the team's this bad.

I am, however, predicting that this team could be a little better next year. If we clear out enough of the elder members of the team and create an environment for people like Josh Rojas, Pavin Smith, Daulton Varsho and even Zac Gallen to succeed fully, maybe things will be a little better off. I also think we're just waiting on a few key prospects to develop so this team can move on fully from this current era, but...I honestly think the D-Backs are slightly further along than a lot of last place team, despite their unflinching badness.

Or not. I've been wrong before.

Coming Tonight: One of my least favorite players in the game right now. Who, unfortunately, is actually having a pretty good season.

Snake Bitten

The 2020 Diamondbacks. An okay team in search of good luck.

Let's just put aside the MadBum thing for right now. I was skeptical when they signed him, he's lost a lot of what made him great, the rest of his contract is very 50/50 as to which version of him will show up. You get past that, and there's still a good D-Backs team for this year. Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen got off to great starts, Starling Marte, Christian Walker and Ketel Marte are all hitting.

But...the further you look with this team, the less depth there is. The bench is full of people like Jake Lamb, Dalton Varsho, Tim Locastro and Andy Young, all young, wishful thinking guys who aren't doing much at all despite big stakes. The two veteran arms, Luke Weaver and Robbie Ray, have high ERAs and can't keep opposing offenses down. Enough of the bullpen works that it's not a real issue, but a lot of guys, including Hector Rondon and Kevin Ginkel, are a bit concerning. There's an issue with catchers not hitting, and unlike in San Diego they're not buying.

Even worse, now Merrill Kelly's out for the rest of the season. Kelly...was at ace-levels this year. And now they've lost him. Granted, Zac Gallen is still pulling incredible numbers for a sophomore pitcher, and if they hold onto him he'll be an ace for them for a while, but...Kelly, Leake [HA, KELLY LEAK!] and MadBum have all dropped from this once mega-rotation. Gallen-Ray-Weaver-Clarke-Young is a good rotation in concept, but Ray and Weaver aren't performing. So, like in Texas, the execution is killing this team.

I hope they can hold onto their main performers this deadline, but...it's not looking good at all, folks.

Coming Tomorrow- You take away Trey Mancini and expect this team to end in last? Don't bank on it.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Diamondbacks

Interesting year for the Diamondbacks.

They didn't come especially close to playoff contention. They had a few setbacks that shedded them of some of the people that made their 2018 season an exciting one. But...this was still a pretty entertaining team. The new core of Eduardo Escobar and Ketel Marte is pretty awesome, and Robbie Ray is still a tight strikeout artist.

Jarrod Dyson was also pretty sharp this year, with 92 hits in 130 games, and a team-high 30 stolen bases. He was a little weaker than he's been in years past, and his numbers are very much like his backup numbers from the Royals teams, but he's still a solid asset.
Why Him in 2019?: Led the team in stolen bases while everyone else was busy hitting .240
2020 Prediction: Someone will sign him...but not likely as a starter.

 Jake Lamb made his comeback due to injury this year, but...oh man, he's not the same. He hit .193 this year in 78 games, with only 30 RBIs. Not sure what else the team can do with him.
Why Him in 2019?: Made the D-Backs realize how crucial Eduardo Escobar was to the team.
2020 Prediction: Will be released midway through the year.

 A slightly happier story was that of Wilmer Flores, former Mets infielder who fought valiantly for a starting spot in Arizona, eventually splitting 2nd base with Ketel Marte. Flores did pretty well this year, with 84 hits in 89 games, and a .317 average.
Why Him in 2019?: Proved his worth as a utility man in the wake of Marte's rise.
2020 Prediction: More utility work, but on another club. Hell, maybe the Mets re-sign him.

 Probably one of the more impressive non-Greinke feats of the first half was the rise of Luke Weaver, who was coming off a muddied 2018. Weaver only pitched 12 games due to injury, but had a 2.94 ERA with 69 strikeouts, so his stuff is still sharp outside of St. Louis
Why Him in 2019?: His ability gave the team hope, but his injury, and Greinke's departure, doomed them.
2020 Prediction: A more consistent, healthy year, and some numbers that may goad the team into trading Robbie Ray

 Merrill Kelly's season was, in my opinion, a disappointment. After seeing Eric Thames and Miles Mikolas flourish after seasons abroad, I'd hoped that Merrill Kelly would follow suit, and to see him only post okay numbers, like a 4.42 ERA and a 13-14 ratio, was a little disheartening. His 158 strikeouts wasn't bad, though.
Why Him in 2019?: Started the most games for the team.
2020 Prediction: Either his ERA falls and he gets his stuff together, or it rises and the team gives up on him.

 Alex Young's call-up was an impressive way of coping with Greinke's loss, as Young went 7-5 in 17 games, and had a 3.56 ERA. He's a pretty durable middle-of-the-rotation guy, but once Leake and Gallen came in, there wasn't much room left for him.
Why Him in 2019?: Bridged the team between two polar-opposite climates for the rotation.
2020 Prediction: Not an initial member of the rotation, but will make some crucial starts down the stretch, or potentially be included in a trade deal.

 As far as bench players go, Ildemaro Vargas was an amusing one, taking some time in the infield and hitting .269, including some clutch moments.
Why Him in 2019?: Middle infield stability for a team losing its once-famous youth infield core.
2020 Prediction: Will back up Marte, and have some strong moments off the bench before a trade makes him a starter somewhere else.

 Alex Avila was supposed to be the starting catcher in AZ this year, and his early April numbers, with a .333 average and 5 RBIs, seemed to foreshadow a great season. Injuries limited his playing time, and some paltry months at the plate depleted his average.
Why Him in 2019?: Without his injury, Carson Kelly never becomes a trusted starter.
2020 Prediction: Will have some ample playing time in Minneapolis, but will slowly lose some to La Tortuga.

 Jon Duplantier was one of Topps' favorite rookie subjects of 2019, solely because he came up in April and had one or two amusing moments then. After April, though, he's not really a factor in this season. Eventually a move to the bullpen makes him a bit more useful, but overall he's mostly a footnote in this season.
Why Him in 2019?: His April appearances were unhittable. Then May started.
2020 Prediction: Teams up with Yoan Lopez and Junior Guerra to form an impressive bullpen platoon.

 Archie Bradley's years have formed an arc- at the start of every year, the organization swears they won't use him as a closer, sign a free agent, and use Bradley in middle relief where he excels. Then the free agent fails miserably, is released, and Bradley ends the year as closer. It happens every year, and this year was no exception, taking over for Greg Holland and getting 18 saves out of it.
Why Him in 2019?: Better or worse, he's still the D-Backs closer, and he still gets the job done.
2020 Prediction: A complete year at closer, and 30 saves come with it.

After the Greinke deal happened, the D-Backs made two more pitching moves, and got Mike Leake and Zac Gallen. Everyone thought Leake would go right into ace form, and it ended up being Gallen that excelled for them. Leake was a bit more disappointing, posting a 4.35 ERA in 10 games, with only 27 strikeouts.
Why Him in 2019?: He was a high-profile trade that did his best amidst the circumstances.
2020 Prediction: Back to his consistency, and more dominance. He'll probably take the lead once Ray gets traded.

Coming Tomorrow- There's gonna be a lot of customs, so I may split the post, but...the Dodgers team that should have won a World Series...and was stopped by a team that did.