PHOENIX – Since the Arizona Diamondbacks clinched a wild card berth in 2017, they have been on a hiatus from October baseball.
That 93-69 season marked the first year for manager Torey Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen as leaders in the clubhouse and front office, and they have been working to snap the six-year drought. Only three players remain from that team, but the stability at the top of the organization has the team in position to make another run at the postseason. This time it’s as a division winner, in part through an offseason trade, a rising young superstar and patience by the front office.
Those are just four of the 10 rookies on the Diamondbacks’ current 40-man roster. Other rookies including Dominic Fletcher, Luis Frias and Jose Herrera have contributed this season to the Diamondbacks, but are currently playing in the minors. The team has featured an ideal balance of youth and veteran presence as players like Longoria, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. have solidified themselves as the steadfast veteran bats in the middle of the order to protect the younger players.
When starting catcher Carson Kelly fractured his forearm in spring training, the team had to rely on rookies Moreno and Herrera to step up. Moreno’s 34 assists led all of baseball entering last weekend, even though he has split time with Kelly since his return from the injured list June 12. Zac Gallen has been the ace of the pitching staff throughout the year and Merrill Kelly is having an All-Star caliber season. Unfortunately, it will be time for more rookies to step up as Kelly was placed on the 15-day IL last week due to a blood clot in his calf.
So once again, the Diamondbacks will be relying on young players to step up, a role Lovullo thinks they are ready to handle.
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