Diamondbacks’ Ken Kendrick ‘disappointed’ with how MLB handled Mets-Braves situation

The Arizona Diamondbacks will miss out on the postseason after the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves split their fate-deciding doubleheader on Monday.

It’s a disappointment for not only the team, but for Valley fans who watched an 84-78 Diamondbacks squad surprise the baseball world in 2023 by taking down the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies to reach the World Series.

The Diamondbacks improved in 2024, finishing the regular season 89-73 and sitting in a tie with the Mets and Braves — who held tiebreakers over Arizona — for just two available Wild Card spots. After a hurricane forced the final two games of the Mets-Braves series last week to be postponed to Monday, one day after the season concluded, Arizona needed a sweep from either team in order to make the postseason.

Diamondbacks owner and managing partner Ken Kendrick joined Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday following the team’s elimination and reacted to how Major League Baseball handled the unusual scenario.

“I predicted a week ago, when this debacle — at multiple levels — was occurring to have the season end with two games yet to be played on a Monday before the playoffs start, it was ill-advised,” Kendrick said. “I’m disappointed that MLB didn’t take a more aggressive posture to insist on those games being played earlier.

“Those teams didn’t have a game scheduled last Monday. They played one game on Tuesday; they could’ve played two games last Monday or two games last Tuesday, and then not been involved in the middle of getting canceled and scheduling games to be played after the season.”

Arizona once held the top Wild Card spot, holding a seven-game lead over the second-place Mets on Aug. 25. Since then, the Diamondbacks went 14-17, dropping a three-game series to the Mets at Chase Field to give New York the tiebreaker. The Mets produced a 21-10 record, the Braves went 19-13 and the Padres 19-11.

Ken Kendrick, Diamondbacks owner and managing partner, was hot happy with how MLB handled the Mets-Braves debacle. pic.twitter.com/TLC0mYNube

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) October 1, 2024

But the Diamondbacks dropped four of their last six games following an ugly loss to the Brewers — where they blew an 8-0 lead — and allowed the Mets and Braves to catch up.

During the doubleheader, both the Mets and the Braves played their starters and utilized their bullpen, setting them up for a disadvantage on Tuesday when the Wild Card series kicks off.

“That decision would have changed how the week would’ve unfolded for a lot of teams, even (the Mets and Braves),” Kendrick said. “They’re both very disadvantaged, they’re traveling tonight to play tomorrow … having played two games today, having used top pitchers and burning out their bullpens.

“They’re going to go play in a postseason where you should be able to have your best players ready to go. … Whether it’s us playing or them playing, I’m disappointed that Major League Baseball didn’t play a more active role in making sure we didn’t have what occurred today.”

The Diamondbacks had their bags packed and were ready to hop on a flight to Milwaukee if either New York or Atlanta swept the other today.

Arizona enters the offseason with key free agents Christian Walker, Paul Sewald, Kevin Newman and Josh Bell, and will look to emulate their performance from this season in 2025, or even surpass it.