Arizona Diamondbacks — Returning To Championship Form?

Arizona had a very busy offseason as they try to gear up for a run back to the World Series like they saw in 2023.

They made a huge splash this offseason by trading for Gold Glove superstar Nolan Arenado, and they also pulled a Kevin Costner in Draft Day-level sleight of hand to bring back Merrill Kelly after trading him to the Texas Rangers at the deadline last year.

Their offense was a top 10 level unit with a lot of power and even more speed. It remains to be seen if Arizona plans to trade Ketel Marte, but given how aggressive they were this offseason, it seems like he’ll remain in the desert. Arenado will only add to their offensive production.

They were a middle of the road defensive team, so it’s clear why they went after the 10x Gold Glove Award winner.

The area of concern is on the pitching side. Zac Gallen and Brandon Pfaadt had down seasons, but if they can bounce back, the D-Backs can almost certainly find their way to October again. If they can remain in the hunt until the All-Star break, they should get Corbin Burnes back from injury to provide reinforcements to the front of that rotation. In the meantime, if they need more production in the rotation, it could make for a good story if Max Scherzer were to reunite with the team that drafted him in the first round back in 2006.

Biggest Needs
Consistent middle-order production and pitching depth.

Adding Nolan Arenado and revamping their entire bullpen give me confidence that they can return to being a contender.

Our Take
The D-Backs have high upside and have been aggressive this winter. This is the blueprint for a team that wants to win. Arizona has been a fun team to watch in recent years, and adding a superstar like Arenado reinforces that in 2026.

If they need him, they also have a plus bat sitting in the minors. Ryan Waldschmidt (#59) is an outfielder with plus power and speed. He doesn’t expand the zone too much, so he draws a lot of walks.

Personally, I see Arizona as a dark horse to contend for the National League crown again in 2026. Can Gallen and Pfaadt bounce back to lead the charge? Can Marte and Arenado play MVP-caliber baseball? How soon will Burnes be back, and how will he look? All these questions will need to be answered in the Snakes have any chance of contending again.