In the offseason, the Diamondbacks gave the green light to a dangerous and wonderful idea:
They would be kidding the Phillies and their rabid fans if they came to Chase Field in mid-August. They would be giving away replica championship rings to 20,000 lucky fans, celebrating last year’s success for four months into the new season. Clearly, they have decided to take advantage of one of the worst moments in Philadelphia’s history.
Brave. Bravo. And now the time has come.
Fortunately, the Diamondbacks are exactly where management wanted them to be when they made that cheeky deal with Jostens, the famed ring maker. They are a red-hot team that is now challenging the Dodgers for the division title. And more importantly, they are once again overtaking the water coolers in the Valley, an up-and-coming team that is now one of the best in Major League Baseball.
Getting here is a different story.
On May 31, the Diamondbacks were 25-32 and seven games under .500. In an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, former manager Bob Brenly sent shockwaves through the locker room when he lamented that the team was no longer fun to watch and was a far cry from the team that once “knocked the pants off their opponents.”
Alibis were easy to find. The Diamondbacks were decimated by injuries, a cruel turn of events for a team that spent aggressively in the offseason. Even now, four expected top pitchers – Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez – have started only 40 of 115 games.
The Diamondbacks have survived thanks to their pedigree and experience. They competed at the highest level in the 2023 postseason and have thrived on baseball’s biggest stages. Their unforgettable playoff victory has prepared them for any adversity that lies ahead.
They survived because Torey Lovullo is a great manager. The Diamondbacks refused to be a really good team for four months. But they never became a really bad team because Lovullo kept the bar high and managed through a ragtag rotation, Geno Suarez’s woes, and even more bullpen games. He had to secretly field the reigning NL Rookie of the Year just to boost his confidence. He had to bench closer Paul Sewald. He had to tell Christian Walker he wasn’t an All-Star. He handled all the stress and heavy lifting without any of the signs of stress and bags under his eyes that plagued him earlier in his career. He’s become a master of his craft. We’re lucky to have him.
They survived because the Diamondbacks spent a lot of money on reinforcements. Joc Pederson was a great addition. Randal Grichuk and Kevin Newman are underrated pieces on the chessboard. The bullpen was strengthened in a flash and is now ready for the playoffs; while Josh Bell immediately filled the void left by Walker’s injury.
Along the way, the Diamondbacks have found their strength, hitting 57 home runs in July. When their pitching rotation comes together over the next six weeks, they will once again be in contention for a championship. Majority owner Ken Kendrick and general manager Mike Hazen have done everything possible to act like a great franchise and keep a precious flame alive. And now the flame is burning.
It’s a sign of legitimacy when a team gets 10 games over .500. The Diamondbacks are now 63-52 and are once again the darling of Arizona. It’s time to take them seriously.
World, seriously.
Reach Bickley at @arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6-10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
