ESPN’s Doolittle poses biggest offseason question for D-backs

The Arizona Diamondbacks rebounded in a giant approach from a 52-win 2021. With six video games left within the season, they’re 72-84.

That is thanks largely to key contributions from prospects like outfielders Jake McCarthy and Corbin Carroll. In addition they benefitted from profession years out of Christian Walker and Daulton Varsho. This goes with out mentioning the tandem of right-handed pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, who turned one of many league’s finest pitching duos.

Nevertheless, postseason baseball isn’t within the playing cards for the D-backs; it’s on to 2023.

ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle posed the largest offseason query for every non-postseason group. For the D-backs, their greatest query was How shut are we? 

How a lot of all this was actual, and the way a lot was a blip? If it was actual, the Diamondbacks would look like one or two large hitters away from making a run at a wild-card spot subsequent season. We’ll get a strong indication of how Arizona views its run-prevention positive factors by the best way it approaches this winter on the hitting aspect.

The Diamondbacks are tied for twenty seventh in baseball with a .229 group batting common. Furthermore, they’re tied for twenty fourth in OBP and twentieth in slugging proportion.

Nevertheless, they have been center of the pack in house runs, runs scored and top-10 in stolen bases. On a fee foundation, there’s definitely room for enchancment. But despite that, they have been a middle-tier ballclub when it comes to scoring runs.

Focusing on affect hitters is a sign of the entrance workplace’s expectations for 2023. As well as, how they handle the bullpen needs to be given consideration.

With six video games left within the season, the D-backs rank twenty sixth in reliever ERA. In addition they rank twentieth in blown saves, with 25, and twenty fifth in saves transformed, with 32.

Addressing which will go a great distance in establishing postseason expectations in Arizona. Though Doolittle additionally talked about 2023 as doubtlessly one other “proof of idea” season. Solely time will inform what expectations subsequent yr needs to be.

Regardless, this offseason needs to be an attention-grabbing one for Diamondbacks administration.