The Positive and Negative of D-backs' Elimination from Playoffs

Painfully (or, perhaps, mercifully?) the Arizona Diamondbacks' hopes of a playoff appearance have been snuffed out.

After losing what became a must-win game at Petco Park in San Diego, Arizona misses out on a postseason run for the second straight year.

For the second straight year, it came down to the final series, though admittedly in a much different context. There are certainly no excuses. The disappointment felt by fans is surely exponentially felt inside the clubhouse and front office.

Still, there remains both a positive and negative side to this eventual outcome.

You may not want to hear it, but first, the positive side:

Diamondbacks Eliminated: The Bright Side

Without awarding a participation trophy, it's significant that the D-backs even found their way to 80 (or more) wins despite the adversity they endured all year.

Underperformance, devastating injury, coaching gaffes and execution problems. The 2025 season had it all, but it also stayed interesting until the final series of the season.

For a moment, think back to August 1. The D-backs sat eight games under .500 (51-59). They had just lost nine of their last 10 games. They were without Eugenio Suárez, Josh Naylor, Merrill Kelly and multiple other members of their tight-knit clubhouse.

The good vibes were gone, the energy was gone, and (as it appeared) all hope was gone.

But it wasn't.

The young, hungry group of unproven D-backs won 29 of their next 47 games. On September 24, they sat three games above .500, needing just a couple of wins to crawl back into a Wild Card berth.

That, unfortunately, is when the execution broke down. The D-backs have lost three straight since.

But to even get to that point was somewhat remarkable. Young players like Blaze Alexander, Jordan Lawlar, Andrew Saalfrank and many others began to put forward success at the major league level.

Stars like Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte began to play in unison. Arizona was very much alive, for what felt like the first time in many weeks.

"It was a group that came together," manager Torey Lovullo said after the D-backs were eliminated Friday night.

"They didn't know how stacked up the odds were against them, and they just, they didn't care. They just went out and continued to play good baseball."

Related Content: Torey Lovullo Reflects on D-backs' Missed Opportunities

"A lot of guys seized opportunities for whatever they were playing for," said right-hander Zac Gallen. "I think ultimately the opportunity was to play for each other and just kind of pull the rope in the same direction and see what happens."

But with the blow (somewhat) softened, the glaring negatives remain:

Diamondbacks Eliminated: The Bad

The Diamondbacks came into 2025 with lofty expectations. Falling short of expectations is nothing new to Arizona sports fans, but the D-backs' season felt particularly rough.

A pitching staff that finally felt like one of the most intimidating groups in baseball began to disintegrate from the very beginning.

Ace righty Zac Gallen looked like a shell of himself, Eduardo Rodriguez still wasn't performing, the bullpen continued to deliver unstable results and Arizona's offense was struggling to keep up.

On top of the insult, injuries were added. Not only did Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk lose their 2025 seasons, they'll lose much of 2026, as well.

A staff that was held together with journeymen and young arms will look similarly unsteady ahead of next year — barring any trades or signings. The pitchers obtained in the Merrill Kelly, Eugenio Suárez and Randal Grichuk trades have yet to reach the majors or emerge as significant contributors.

Arizona currently owns the seventh-worst team ERA in baseball (4.44). Their rotation ERA, despite the recent improvements, ranks 19th at 4.21, while the bullpen's 4.81 figure ranks 27th.

The D-backs also have no true first baseman after trading Josh Naylor and losing Tyler Locklear to injury, and won't see the return of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for 9-12 months.

The outlook for next season is somewhat grim. That does not mean all is lost, but much is uncertain at this stage.

A playoff run may not have been realistic, but it would have stood out as a trophy of endured adversity. Instead, the D-backs will have to watch from afar — and wonder what 2026 will be like.

Arizona Diamondbacks Latest News