It’s time to take the Diamondbacks World Seriously

During the offseason, the Diamondbacks greenlighted a dangerous and wonderful idea: 

They would troll the Phillies and their rabid fans when they came to Chase Field in the middle of August. They would give away replica championship rings to 20,000 lucky fans, celebrating last year’s achievement over four months into a new season. Clearly, they chose to flex on one of the worst moments in Philadelphia history. 

Brave. Bravo. And now the moment has arrived. 

Fortunately, the Diamondbacks are exactly where team executives hoped they would be when striking that cheeky deal with Jostens, the famous ring maker. They are a red-hot team now threatening the Dodgers for a division title. More importantly, they are again overtaking watercoolers in the Valley, a surging team that now ranks among the best in Major League Baseball.    

Getting here is another story. 

On May 31, the Diamondbacks were 25-32, seven games under .500. During an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7, former manager Bob Brenly sent shockwaves through the clubhouse by lamenting how the team was no longer fun to watch, far from the team that once made opponents “crap down their legs.” 

Alibis came easy. The Diamondbacks were decimated by injuries, a cruel twist for a team that spent aggressively during the offseason. Even now, four expected frontline pitchers – Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez – have started only 40 of 115 games. 

The Diamondbacks have survived because of pedigree and experience. They competed at the highest of altitudes during the 2023 postseason, succeeding on the biggest stages in baseball.  Their unforgettable romp through the playoffs steeled them for all the adversity ahead. 

They have survived because Torey Lovullo is a great manager. The Diamondbacks spent four months refusing to be a really good team. But they never became a really bad team because Lovullo has kept the floor high, managing through a patchwork rotation, the struggles of Geno Suarez, and even more bullpen games. He’s had to platoon the reigning NL Rookie of the Year on the sly just to massage his confidence. He’s had to bench closer Paul Sewald. He’s had to inform Christian Walker he wasn’t an All-Star. He’s handled all of that stress and heavy lifting without the signs of stress and baggy eyes that once dogged him early in his career. He has become a master at his profession. We are lucky to have him. 

They have survived because the Diamondbacks spent a lot on reinforcements. Joc Pederson was a great addition. Randal Grichuk and Kevin Newman are underrated pieces on the chessboard.  The bullpen has been fortified on the fly and is currently playoff-ready, while Josh Bell has instantly filled the void left by the injury to Walker.   

Along the way, the Diamondbacks have found their slug, belting 57 home runs in the month of July. If their pitching rotation comes together in the next six weeks, they will again compete for a championship. Majority owner Ken Kendrick and general manager Mike Hazen have done everything possible to act like a big-time franchise, to keep a precious flame alive. And now the flame is roaring. 

It’s a stamp of legitimacy when a team gets 10 games over .500. The Diamondbacks are now 63-52 and once again the toast of Arizona. It’s time to take them seriously. 

World Seriously. 

Reach Bickley at @arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station. 

Follow @danbickley