By the numbers: The Diamondbacks are the best team since the All-Star break
Aug 15, 2024, 10:05 AM
Jake McCarthy #31 of the Arizona Diamondbacks scores on a double by Joc Pederson #3 against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Chase Field on August 14, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
An 11-4 thrashing of the Colorado Rockies gave the Arizona Diamondbacks six wins in a row. They’ve won eight series since the mid-July MLB All-Star break, one against baseball’s best team by record (Cleveland Guardians) and another against the NL’s second-best team (Philadelphia Phillies).
The D-backs are 20-5 to begin the second half of the schedule, best in the majors, with the NL West rival San Diego Padres on their heels at 19-4 in the second half of the schedule.
The push has Arizona and San Diego — both at 69-53 — just 2.5 games back of the division- and NL-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
How have the Diamondbacks done it?
A quick look at what and who is shaping their recent success, by the numbers:
The Diamondbacks’ offense is red-hot since the MLB All-Star break
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The D-backs rank first in average (.290), second in on-base percentage (.361) and first in slugging (.527) in the past 25 games.
Their plate discipline is a big part of it, too. They have the fourth-lowest strikeout rate (18.2%) over that span and the fifth-highest walk rate (9.0%).
Add it together, and it’s turning into runs.
The Diamondbacks have scored the most runs (162) since the All-Star break, well above second-place Boston (148). That averages out at 6.48 runs per game.
The power is there, too
Arizona’s 45 home runs is third in MLB over that span.
MVP candidate Ketel Marte is doing his thing
Individually, Ketel Marte did a handsome chunk of the offensive work with 24 RBIs in 22 games before he hurt his ankle this past week.
His 11 home runs in the timespan are only less than 13 by Miami’s Jake Burger and 12 for each of Baltimore’s Anthony Santander and San Francisco’s Tyler Fitzgerald. That trio has three more games of work than Marte.
Marte’s 11 homers are tied for third-most since the All-Star break with Toronto’s Vlad Guerrero Jr. (25 games) and New York’s Juan Soto (24 games).
Meanwhile, D-backs outfielder Jake McCarthy’s hot streak has him ranked fourth in average since the All-Star break (.403).
McCarthy is also tied with teammate Eugenio Suarez at 11th in slugging (.649), behind Marte (.784).
As a pitching staff, Arizona is limiting the damage
While the D-backs are middle-of-the-road across MLB in strikeout rate and walk rate for its pitching staff, starters and relievers have combined to do the best job keeping the ball inside stadium walls.
The Diamondbacks have allowed 14 home runs over the last 25 games, five fewer than second-place San Diego and a far cry from last-place Boston (52). Arizona is allowing 0.56 home runs per nine frames, best in the majors by a long shot, with the Padres in second place at 0.82.
The D-backs’ staff has the second-best groundball-to-fly ball percentage in the majors (1.29). And when opponents do get under pitches, Arizona allows the lowest home run-to-fly ball percentage (6.3%).
Who’s setting the tone on the D-backs’ mound?
Starter Zac Gallen is the only qualified player with a 0% home run-to-fly ball ratio to start the second half of the season. He’s also got the seventh-best groundball percentage (51.7%).
Ryne Nelson, who has hit a stride as manager Torey Lovullo determines whether he or Jordan Montgomery will remain the fifth starter, has a home run-to-fly ball rate of 3.4%, which is tied for fourth-best since the break.
Nelson has also been Arizona’s best strikeout man lately, with 36 strikeouts in 31.0 innings, ranking him 14th in terms of strikeouts per nine frames. He’s only given up a single homer in those last 31.0 frames for a rate that’s fourth-best in the majors.
