In ESPN’s final MLB Power Rankings of the 2024 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks fell one spot, but still remained inside the top 10, ending the year ranked No. 8.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Diamondbacks, placed one spot ahead of the Orioles and one spot behind the Astros, have not had the September that they expected after a scorching hot start following the All-Star break.
Since September 1st, the D-backs hold a record of 12-11, while not horrible, it has put them in a position where they will need to have all hands on deck for their season finale series against the San Diego Padres this weekend.
A key factor hindering the D-backs’ playoff push has been the struggles of their starting rotation, which has posted the worst ERA in baseball this month. Even with reinforcements returning from the injured list, quality starts—like Zac Gallen’s gem against the Giants on Wednesday—have been scarce. Jordan Montgomery, once seen as a promising offseason acquisition, has underperformed, while Brandon Pfaadt’s ERA has ballooned to 4.80 in recent weeks. Eduardo Rodriguez’s recent outings have also been problematic, with the team losing four of his last five starts.
Adding to the uncertainty in the Wild Card race is the delay caused by Hurricane Helene, which has pushed the Braves vs. Mets series to next Monday. As a result, the Diamondbacks may not know their postseason fate until the eve of the playoffs. Though Arizona currently holds a one-game lead over Atlanta, the Braves own the tiebreaker by virtue of their season series advantage.
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez highlighted the volatility of the playoff picture, writing, “The D-backs are a perfect example of how quickly things can still change in the standings. On Saturday night, they won for the 38th time in 58 games during the second half, giving them a three-game cushion in the wild-card race. They proceeded to lose three in a row, trimming their advantage to only half a game before capturing a much-needed victory on Wednesday. Now their season will come down to a weekend home series against the division-rival Padres, owners of the best second-half record in baseball.”
Atop ESPN’s final Power Rankings were the Philadelphia Phillies, with ESPN’s Jeff Passan labeling them the team to beat this October. The Dodgers and Yankees followed at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, while the Padres, who are set to visit Chase Field this weekend, surged to No. 4—their highest ranking of the season.
