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The 2026 Major League Baseball season will begin shortly. At Passion MLB, as has been the case for years, we are setting the stage for the season by introducing the 30 teams of Major League Baseball.
Today, the Diamondbacks are on the menu.
2025 Season
Expectations were high in Arizona for 2025. After reaching the World Series in 2023 and another great season in 2024, the arrival of Corbin Burnes, who signed as a free agent, meant that the Snakes were expected to make the playoffs again.
However, the team was decimated by injuries. Burnes made only 11 starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery, and the team's two best relievers (Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk) suffered the same fate. All of this within a two-week period.
The Dbacks have caught an insane injury bug as of late:Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor have both left tonight's game. Corbin Carroll hasn't played since last Wednesday. Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez, and AJ Puk are all out for the year with Tommy John surgery
Absolutely brutal for Arizona pic.twitter.com/pSPYoGTktK
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) June 24, 2025
The club ended up selling at the deadline, when Eugenio Suarez was traded to Seattle. And despite a late-season surge, the DBacks missed the playoffs by a handful of games.
Considering all the talent in town, it was a disappointing result.
Additions and departures
Following Suarez's departure, the Diamondbacks had a hole to fill at third base. To fill it, the club went after a player who had long played in the division: Nolan Arenado.
He's no longer the star player he once was, but he's still capable of contributing, especially defensively.
Nolan Arenado's first #SpringTraining homer in a @Dbacks uniform
pic.twitter.com/6SMTwCKSkL
— MLB (@MLB) February 20, 2026
And with Josh Naylor also traded last year, the Diamondbacks have agreed to sign Paul Goldschmidt Carlos Santana to play first base this season. At almost 40 years old, he is no longer a big hitter, but he is still excellent defensively.
On the mound, Michael Soroka has been brought in as depth in the rotation. Paul Sewald, Kade Strowd, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Taylor Clarke will also be adding arms to the bullpen.
It should be noted that Zac Gallen, who was a free agent, ultimately decided to return to Arizona for one year. The club also re-signed Merrill Kelly, whom it had traded to the Rangers at the last trade deadline. However, he will miss the start of the season.
Merrill Kelly will be sidelined with intercostal nerve irritation pic.twitter.com/x6HwceT0eY
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) February 25, 2026
In terms of departures, Blaze Alexander is the big name who left. The young infielder, a big prospect for the team for the past few years, was traded to the Orioles in exchange for, among others, Strowd.
It's also worth noting that Jake McCarthy, who has played 431 games with the club since 2021, is now in Colorado. He was surplus to requirements in the outfield.
Strengths and weaknesses
The Arizona lineup is a real strength of the club. After all, when you're counting on Ketel Marte (who stayed despite countless trade rumors) and Corbin Carroll, you're usually in good shape.
That said, it doesn't stop with those two guys: in addition to Arenado and Santana, the club will also be counting on Gabriel Moreno, Pavin Smith, Alek Thomas, and young Jordan Lawlar, a big prospect for the club.
Oh, and Geraldo Perdomo, one of the best-kept secrets in major league baseball. Did you know he finished fourth in the National League MVP race in 2025?
Only 4 hitters last year had what I call the prototypical leadoff hitter stat line: 110+ games, sub 20% K%, over 20 SBs, and BB% over 10%
OF Kyle Tucker
OF Fernando Tatis Jr
OF Juan Soto
SS Geraldo Perdomo
Elite group of players, fascinating to see just how good Perdomo was last year pic.twitter.com/4mFGQ2BpIW— Jackson Scudder (@jscud23) January 8, 2026
On paper, the pitching staff isn't bad… if you don't look at the injuries. A rotation featuring Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Ryne Nelson, Brandon Pfaadt, and Eduardo Rodriguez looks solid on paper, but we know that Burnes and Kelly won't be available at the start of the season.
Will it hold up until Burnes returns? That's the question.
The bullpen, meanwhile, isn't very impressive with Martinez and Puk sidelined. Kevin Ginkel will have to hold down the fort, and Paul Sewald will need to rediscover his 2023 magic. Ryan Thompson and Kade Strowd will also need to be solid. Martinez hopes to return around August. Will the bullpen, which was historically bad last year, be able to hold out that long without him?
RHP Justin Martinez is “tentatively” looking to return to the Diamondbacks around August, per @nickpiecoro
Like Corbin Burnes, Martinez also had Tommy John surgery last season pic.twitter.com/7Zatzwpx5b
— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) February 10, 2026
Expectations for the 2026 season
On paper, the Diamondbacks have a ton of talent, and the club can hope to be back in the playoffs. The problem is that we don't know when (and in what condition) the club's best pitchers will be back on the mound.
The offense will have no trouble scoring runs. There are tons of resources, and the group has been among the highest-scoring teams every year for the past three years.
But will the pitching staff do enough to survive until reinforcements arrive? That will determine how the 2026 season unfolds for the Diamondbacks.
Created by humans, assisted by AI.
