Prior to the Diamondbacks’ 10-9 loss to the New York Mets on May 31st, Arizona broadcaster Bob Brenly expressed on Bickley & Marotta Mornings Sports talk that the D-backs aren’t as “fun” to watch this year as they were in 2023.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!#Dbacks broadcaster Bob Brenly joined us today and told us the team just isn't as "fun" this year pic.twitter.com/DprRg6DfKz
— Bickley & Marotta Mornings on Arizona Sports (@Bickley_Marotta) May 31, 2024
Brenly pinpointed the concept of ’embracing the chaos,’ which the Diamondbacks adhered to during their last season’s run to the postseason. With power lacking in their lineup, ranking 22nd in the majors with 166 total home runs, the D-backs shifted their focus to speed, trailing just behind the Cincinnati Reds with 166 stolen bases.
The Diamondbacks concluded the 2023 season with an equal number of stolen bases and home runs, a rarity in baseball. They were among three teams to either tie their home run total in stolen bases or have fewer stolen bases than home runs, alongside the Kansas City Royals and the Reds.
However, this season has been a different story, which has been reflected in their performance. The Diamondbacks have managed only 31 stolen bases across 58 games (22nd in MLB), while hitting 58 home runs (also 22nd in MLB).
No player on the team has stolen more than 10 bases, with Corbin Carroll notably on pace to finish the season with just 25 stolen bases, a drastic decrease from his 54 stolen bases during his rookie season. This drop can partly be attributed to Carroll’s struggle to reach base, with his OBP currently standing at .280 compared to .362 last season.
While, yes, Carroll not getting on base has caused his stolen bases to decrease, the Diamondbacks have also shown an overall lack of aggressiveness on the base paths.
An illustration of this shift is Jake McCarthy, whose improved OBP year over year hasn’t translated into stolen bases. He has only stolen seven bags in 49 games compared to 26 bags in 99 games last year.
Adding to the decline of the ’embracing the chaos’ mindset are the Diamondbacks‘ offseason acquisitions, including two notably slow base runners, Eugenio Suarez and Joc Pederson.
Suarez and Pederson were brought in to address the power disparity in 2023 but have failed to fulfill that role. Suarez, in particular, has just four home runs in 203 at-bats, projected to end the season with a mere 11 homers, the fewest since his rookie season.
So, the Diamondbacks, who were an overly aggressive team in 2023, and reaped the benefits from being one of the fastest teams in baseball, grabbed two power bats over the offseason. Since then, they have fallen to one of the least aggressive teams in the majors, while also possessing one of the least intimidating home run threats, ranking 22nd in homers.
Silver lining
While Arizona currently sits in 4th place in the NL West with a record of 26-32, there are promising signs indicating better days on the horizon.
In June, the Diamondbacks, should, knock on wood, get back a couple of lethal base running threats, Geraldo Perdomo and Alek Thomas.
Perdomo, who stole 16 bags in 2023, played in just seven games this season before heading to the IL with a torn meniscus. Perdomo recently began a rehab assignment in the complex league, if all goes well, he will be moved up to play in Triple-A Reno sometime soon.
Alek Thomas is in a similar position. While not as aggressive on the basepaths, as he stole just nine bases last season, Thomas still possesses a dangerous speed that keeps pitchers off their typical rhythm. Thomas was played on the IL with a hamstring injury after playing just four games to start the season. He has also recently begun a rehab assignment in the complex league.
While the return of these players remains uncertain, it’s evident that if the Diamondbacks aim to reverse their fortunes this season, they must revert to their roots and embrace the chaos once again
