As recently as June 28, the Arizona Diamondbacks found themselves under .500 with a record of 39-43. They trailed the third wild-card spot by 3 1/2 games, with four teams ahead of them and lagged 11 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Fast forward to August 14, and the Diamondbacks now stand atop the wild-card race with a commanding six-game cushion for a postseason berth.
The Diamondbacks' turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable. Since June 29, Arizona has compiled a blistering 29-10 record. They have won nine of their last ten games and 17 of their last 20, with their three losses coming by a combined four runs. Remarkably, they haven't lost a series since late June, boasting a 12-0-1 record in 13 series since June 27.
Despite experiencing key player injuries, the Diamondbacks have continued to thrive. Christian Walker has been sidelined with an oblique strain since July 30, and Gabriel Moreno suffered a groin strain last week. Additionally, closer Paul Sewald had to be removed from his role due to struggles, yet the team has adapted seamlessly.
A key factor in Arizona's resurgence has been the performance of their young talent. Corbin Carroll, who had a dismal batting line of .192/.278/.279 in 254 plate appearances as of June 5, now boasts an impressive .248/.336/.491 line over his last 243 plate appearances. Meanwhile, newcomers like Josh Bell and Jake McCarthy have provided significant contributions. Bell is hitting .300/.352/.660 with four home runs in just 14 games, enhancing the team's offensive firepower. McCarthy has been on a tear, hitting .460/.477/.730 in his last 17 games.
The team's pitching has also been a strength, even with numerous adjustments. The Diamondbacks have utilized 14 different starting pitchers this season. Currently, the rotation includes Merrill Kelly, Jordan Montgomery, Eduardo Rodriguez, Zac Gallen, and Brandon Pfaadt. Kelly, in his return, held the Phillies to two runs over five innings. Rodriguez, since his season debut last week, has contributed two solid starts. In the bullpen, Justin Martinez has been flawless as the new closer, converting all three of his save opportunities, while A.J. Puk has surrendered just one run and struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings since joining the team.
Offensively, the Diamondbacks' lineup has been hitting on all cylinders. Over the past 20 games, the team is batting .305/.368/.565 and averaging 6.90 runs per game. Clutch hitting has also played a significant role in their success. Adrian Del Castillo delivered a walk-off homer against the Phillies, while Alek Thomas hit a game-tying, two-run single against the Blue Jays.
The designated hitter (DH) platoon of Randal Grichuk and Joc Pederson has been particularly productive, combining for a .287/.379/.519 batting line with 26 home runs. Such contributions have been pivotal during Arizona's impressive 17-3 run, which has seen their postseason odds jump from 40.5% to 91.5%, according to FanGraphs.
The Diamondbacks' turnaround has been one of the most compelling stories in baseball this season. As Jake McCarthy aptly put it, "It's been awesome. But, you know, we want to continue to improve on this and take this into September and the postseason." With their current momentum, the team appears well-positioned to make a deep postseason run.