Arizona Diamondbacks checking all boxes of legit contender

We are a major metropolis. We are a boomtown market. We deserve more than the modest throne of niche sports

The Diamondbacks are doing their part. After sweeping the Red Sox in Fenway Park, they have achieved an altitude rarely seen from our major professional sports franchises. They are being described as the most dangerous team in Major League Baseball, maybe even the best. 

Break out the foam fingers. For that rare moment, we are No. 1.

We don’t get this kind of chest-thumping satisfaction often in Arizona. We don’t often rank among the best in class. This hasn’t happened since Chris Paul’s Suns made a run to the NBA Finals and encored with the best regular season record in the sport. 

The Diamondbacks are suddenly 19 games over .500. Built on pitching and defense, they have transformed into an offensive juggernaut. They are the only team in Major League Baseball to score 700 or more runs. With 31 games left in the regular season, the Diamondbacks have a real chance to steal a division title from the Dodgers. 

Imagine how that might feel. 

It’s far too early to crown heroes. But the 2024 Diamondbacks are a tribute to that rare combination of patience and aggressiveness. They are a nod to a franchise that kept a great general manager/manager combination employed during the dark times, when knee-jerkers in the audience were demanding heads on a spike. And they are a nod to team that learned from its previous premature misfires, picking the right time to go all in on a baseball team from a financial standpoint. 

The Diamondbacks have survived lengthy injuries to marquee pitchers. Their offense is currently without MVP candidate Ketel Marte, slugger Christian Walker and catcher Gabriel Moreno. They are reaping the benefits of hard-earned, well-spent depth. And they are buoyed by all of the band-aids and quick fixes, whether it’s Josh Bell, Adrian Del Castillo or Luis Guillorme

It says something about the culture in Arizona – upbeat, passionate, relational – that so many newcomers can step into a high-stakes environment and feel so comfortable. That’s a tribute to the vibe in Arizona, and why Torey Lovullo should be a frontrunner for manager of the year. 

The 2024 Diamondbacks are checking all the boxes. They are dominant. They are defiant. They are entertaining. They just hit the Red Sox with a three-punch knockout: blowout on Friday, pitching masterpiece on Saturday, epic comeback on Sunday. They are a team full of weapons and fan favorites, a team kicking off the stretch run with a showdown series against each the Mets and Dodgers. 

The Diamondbacks are everything we deserve, everything we crave. And we’re about to see how hot this bonfire burns. 

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