The Arizona Diamondbacks‘ perplexing road ahead is an interesting unknown to work out. As the team heads into the second half of the season, questions are arising. Are they contenders for a playoff spot? Do they make trades to improve the team for a playoff run or stand pat with the current roster? Will players be traded before becoming free agents at the end of the season? Is the team going to be a buyer, a seller, or what?
The Diamondbacks’ Road Ahead in the Second Half
Second Half Schedule
The second half of the season has already begun. Most teams, including the Diamondbacks, have already played 90 games or more. However, they are not at the record or the place they wanted to be at this point in the season. Yet this team still feels they are in a playoff race. They have just 62 games left, 32 at home and 30 on the road. 22 of those games are against the five teams ahead of them in the wild card race.
What Needs to be Done
For this team to surpass those five other teams, pitching must take over. This includes both the starting and the relief pitchers. They are counting on and need substantial improvement from their starters. Zac Gallen must quickly find his form from the last two seasons. With Corbin Burnes lost to arm surgery, Gallen must be the ace. Merrill Kelly has pitched well, with seven wins, and needs to continue and build on that success. Brandon Pfaadt, who leads the team in wins, has been unpredictable. His ERA is currently 5.42. The winning needs to continue, but that ERA must come down.
Yes, Another Bullpen Disintegration
The Diamondbacks’ bullpen is struggling yet again. Their performance has been an unshakable problem. While some of the problems can be traced to multiple pitchers being placed on the injured list, several pitchers have been optioned to the minors or released. A significant issue is the bullpen’s continuous failure to keep leads late in games. Yes, they have experienced notable turnover, including the loss of two closers and their inability to find a suitable replacement. Shelby Miller, who returned to the Diamondbacks this year, won a job in the bullpen. He was thrust into the closer role. However, he has performed well with a 1.97 ERA and 10 saves. He is not a genuine closer and has blown some critical saves.
Offense Has Carried
The Diamondbacks are going to need to rely on their offense on the road ahead. The offense has done a little bit of everything in the first half. They have two 20+ home run hitters in Eugenio Suárez and Corbin Carroll. Ketel Marte is close to that mark at 19. All three made the All-Star team. The team is third in runs scored, fourth in walks, and fifth in on-base percentage, so they get on base. Their biggest weakness is their drudgery against left-handed pitchers. They have an OPS over 100 points lower against left-handers. It must improve in the second half.
Defense Struggling
Manager Torey Lovullo has always had his teams play excellent defense. They were the best fielding team last season and saved many runs with their defensive play. However, this year they have already committed 45 errors, this after only making 62 over 162 games in 2024. They need to find that form again to avoid costly losses and get some extra wins.
Trade to Improve or Retool
Depending on their position in the standings, this team could find itself at an interesting juncture come the trade deadline. Do they make trades to improve or look to retool for next season? Several teams looking to improve their chances at this year’s postseason will be asking about multiple starting pitchers. Gallen and Kelly will draw serious interest. Eduardo Rodríguez will also draw some attention. Miller might also find himself in trade discussions.
As far as offense, Josh Naylor and Suárez will be asked about over the next three-plus weeks. The team must decide whether they want to be all in for the playoffs or acquire some prospects (hopefully in the pitching area) to retool for next season and beyond. Or, to stand pat and try to get to the postseason with the players they have.
Eugenio Suárez hopes he’ll be wearing a D-Backs uni after the July 31 trade deadline.
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— theScore (@theScore) July 3, 2025
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The Last Word
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ perplexing road ahead is an interesting unknown, but the team still feels it can be competitive. Overall, the Diamondbacks face challenges in the second half of the season. A key aspect to overcome that difficulty is the performance of their entire rotation. If they can improve their team ERA, find and get consistency in their bullpen, and limit opponents’ runs, their chances of winning consistently increase. With continued success from their offense, they just may have a chance at a postseason spot.
However, the team will have some strategic decisions to make. At this point, they appear to be buyers, but a losing streak after the All-Star break can quickly change that to sellers. The next few weeks will give everyone a better idea of where this unknown road ahead will lead, to a postseason run or a start on next year’s retool.
Main Photo Credit: © Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
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