It is only fitting that the Diamondbacks headed into the All-Star break a game above .500, considering the type of season they have had. With injuries, confidence-depleting blown saves, and two months below .500, the D-backs should be thankful they are still in the National League Wild Card hunt.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In ESPN’s final Power Rankings before the break, the Diamondbacks were placed 15th, which perfectly reflects their season: not too good, not too bad.
ESPN writers highlighted Christian Walker’s All-Star snub, stating, “First base in the NL is a tough field to crack, but when you’re identifying players who were snubbed from the initial unveiling of All-Star rosters, Christian Walker is undoubtedly among the most prominent. Walker is the sport’s best defensive first baseman, a back-to-back Gold Glove Award winner who ranks sixth in outs above average — among all positions, including the ones with more playmaking opportunities — since the start of 2022. This year, he has taken his offense to another level, his adjusted OPS jumping to 137. That his All-Star snub came shortly after he belted five home runs in one three-game series from Dodger Stadium made it all the more glaring.”
The Diamondbacks were sandwiched between the St. Louis Cardinals at #14 and the New York Mets at #16, both of whom are also in the National League Wild Card hunt.
At the top of the rankings stand the Philadelphia Phillies, who hold the best record in baseball. They are followed by the Orioles at #2, the Dodgers at #3, the Guardians at #4, and the Dodgers again at #5.
After the All-Star break, the Diamondbacks will get back to action with a six-game road trip starting in Chicago against the Cubs on July 19. The Diamondbacks are seven games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and one game behind the Mets for the final Wild Card spot.
