3 Questions Surrounding D-backs' Offense in 2026

The Arizona Diamondbacks did not miss the playoffs because of their offense, that much is relatively straightforward.

When the 2025 season was all said and done, Arizona posted the fifth-best team OPS (.758) in the major leagues. They slugged at the third-highest clip (.433), scored the sixth-most runs (791) and hit the eighth-most homers (214) despite losing a good chunk of their slug at the Trade Deadline.

There were certainly some situational moments of frustration with regard to Arizona's ability to hit, but there's no denying the D-backs have an extremely potent lineup — at least, in the top half.

Still, there are some glaring questions about Arizona's offense in the upcoming 2026 season. Below are three of the most pressing ones:

1: How Will Diamondbacks Get 1B Production?

First base is a position that generally comes with a significant amount of slug or pop. Arizona does not have a solidified first baseman for the 2026 season.

Reports have suggested GM Mike Hazen won't be looking too hard for an external first baseman, but the fact remains that Arizona posted an MLB-lowest .560 OPS from the first base position from August 1 onward.

After Josh Naylor was traded to the Mariners and both Pavin Smith and Tyler Locklear went down with injuries, Tim Tawa and Ildemaro Vargas did their best at first, but it was not a productive area of the D-backs' lineup.

Whether it's Locklear making a leap once he returns from elbow and shoulder surgeries, a solid year from Smith, or an external option of some sort, Arizona could use some slug at first base.

2: Who Will Emerge From Bottom of Diamondbacks' Order?

Arizona has three of the best hitters in the National League manning the top of their order in Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll. Gabriel Moreno is not far behind in terms of hitting ability, but has struggled to stay on the field in terms of health.

Neither Alek Thomas nor Jake McCarthy produced at high clips offensively, while Blaze Alexander's bat tailed off toward the latter end of the year. Jordan Lawlar shows promise, but has yet to show consistent production.

For the D-backs' offense to avoid being one-dimensional, they'll need some production out of the lower end of their order. The question is if someone steps up, or if an external addition is made to add depth to the lineup.

3: What Will Diamondbacks' Offensive Identity Be?

Arizona emerged in the 2023 season as a team that produced in chaotic fashion — getting on base, causing trouble on the basepaths and scraping across runs by whatever means necessary.

But as the roster evolved over the past two seasons, the D-backs began to take on a more power-focused approach. Veterans like Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor provided plenty of power and home run potential, but were less aligned with that chaotic, on-base approach.

That led to a stretch of play during which Arizona was extremely home run dependent. Their production was built on the long ball, for better or for worse.

Related Content: Torey Lovullo Addresses Concerning Diamondbacks Trend

That identity began to fade away once those veterans departed at the Trade Deadline. The D-backs' familiar chaotic approach started to return.

It seems likely that GM Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo would embrace the chaotic type of offense that helped them reach the World Series in 2023.

It will be intriguing to see what style of players are brought in to supplement the offense, if any — and what the D-backs' offense looks like on the field in 2026.

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