PREVIEW BRIEFS: THE DIAMONDBACKS

The Arizona Diamondbacks enter the 2026 season as optimistic as ever. This is despite a lackluster 2025 campaign and the fact they play in a tough NL West division. A big reason is continuity, with their long-time manager in the dugout and a familiar core of players, especially on the mound, back on the team. While there were rumblings manager Torey Lovullo would be let go last September, the organization opted to retain him. They seemed to recognize the skipper’s overall success, which included a World Series appearance three years ago. It was an impressive run that vanquished the juggernaut Dodgers and Phillies in the post-season. One notable addition was J.R. House, brought in from Cincinnati to coach third base. 

Keeping the leadership mostly intact is a testament to the confidence the front office has following a strong end to 2025. Even after selling at the trade deadline by dispatching Merrill Kelly, Eugenio Suarez, Josh Naylor and Randal Grichuk, the snakes ended the season strong. They even flirted with a post-season appearance for a few weeks before eventually succumbing to a stronger NL field.

As for the players, what was old is new again, especially on the pitching side. What seemed primed to be a very different starting rotation at season’s end is now a very familiar one instead. Zac “the milkman” Gallen, re-signed on a one-year deal. Merrill Kelly is back from his tour of duty in Texas, while Ryne Nelson will take the mound again as a starter. Brandon Pfaadt and southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez will also return while former Cub and National newcomer, Michael Soroka, joins the mix. Assuming he is healthy, Kelly will take the ball on Opening Day. That assumption is important because it should be noted he was set to undergo an MRI for back tightness over this past weekend (Feb 21). Corbin Burnes, the former Baltimore and Milwaukee standout, is also a name to keep in mind even if he’s unavailable for several months after having Tommy John surgery.

Perhaps the most interesting wild card will be Ryne Nelson, a largely underappreciated piece of the Arizona pitching staff. Nelson was arguably the best starting pitcher last season after Kelly left and Gallen struggled. He threw a nasty four-seamer roughly 60 percent of the time while producing an impressive 1.07 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched). He recently noted that we are likely to see much of the same in 2026. “The fastball has always been something that I’ve loved to throw a lot… as command has gotten better, it has opened up opportunities to use it even more now”, he said in a local media interview. Nelson specifically cited his confidence in using different parts of the plate as the trust in his “stuff” has increased. 

The big question is whether he can maintain his prior consistency. Having a third-day pitcher with the reliability of Kelly or Gallen would be a game changer for the Dbacks. That said, what the final rotation will be remains largely unknown, particularly given Burnes’s slated return and ongoing competition over the fifth starting spot. That point was emphasized by Dbacks GM Mike Hazen, according to a recent MLB.com article. Short of an extremely subpar performance in spring training, though, it is hard to imagine Nelson will end up being demoted after essentially getting a “guaranteed” rotation spot by Hazen.

The bullpen is also undergoing a transformation. According to Lovullo, all eight bullpen jobs are open for business. Last year, the combined ERA for relievers was at a pitiful 4.82 and in the bottom five in baseball. What we do know now is Andrew Saalfrank will not be pitching this year following shoulder surgery. Justin Martinez, another bullpen arm, is likely to return after his elbow surgery. That is unlikely to occur until August, however, according to an interview last month. A.J. Puk, who came from the Marlins with great expectations, will be back for Arizona sometime around All-Star break. Paul Sewald, another highly touted veteran, will begin his second stint in Arizona. Like the others, Sewald was plagued by injuries in 2025. Entering this season, the Dbacks hope to have him play an integral role in winning games late until those bullpen reinforcements arrive. If healthy and back to form, Puk and Sewald should be well positioned to keep batters off base late in games. Lovullo, according to one local sports site, ArizonaSports.com, is also interested in having a reliable closer. Specifically, he wants one that will be aggressive in attacking his opponents. 

This year, the Dbacks welcomed St. Louis Cardinal legend Nolan Arenado to the desert to play third base. Arenado, a seasoned vet, adds to the ranks of Katel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Gabriel Moreno. Carlos Santana, who has bounced across multiple teams over the years, also joined the team. Arenado already made his presence felt early in spring training, too. 

Corbin Carroll is, of course, the superstar of the team. Unfortunately for Arizona, he starts the year with an injury, a broken bone in his hand. Surprisingly, the slugger may be available again by Opening Day (but having to forego the World Baseball Classic). Whether he will be himself immediately is to be determined. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., meanwhile, is still nursing an ACL tear. If needed, the Dbacks could tap into the prospects side, including Jordan Lawlar who has been impressive in the Minor Leagues but has had issues staying healthy over the years. 

In the futures market, Arizona’s expectations can be considered middle of the pack. Their win total line sits at 79.5 at basic -110 price. To make the playoffs, the odds are about +270, depending on where one looks. Some might argue that line feels relatively expensive for a team whose top hitter has a broken bone, whose top ace (Burnes) has a mid-season, although certainly not concrete, timeline, and a team that now has a starter in Kelly whose health might be in question. Then again, they are only favored ahead of the Pirates, Marlins, Cardinals, Nats and Rockies. Whether one sees value or not depends on the eye of the beholder, but it should not be a shock to see the Dbacks make a strong push at some point in the season like they did in 2025. For Lovullo, the seat is certainly hot this year, so expect the Dbacks manager to be at the top of his game, also.

Looking at the MLBSZN tab on Prizepicks, only a few Arizona squares are currently up. One of them is Brandon Pfaadt, with an ERA line of 4.4. Pfaadt will look to bounce back, if given the opportunity, after ending with a 5.25 ERA last season and having what social media was calling a “yes-hitter” in one embarrassing outing.

Pfaadt has talent and can command an effective and diverse pitch mix that can work in his favor. But this is still a tough square to consider given that the final rotation is still up in the air. Carroll has the most squares up, a mix of demons and goblins, for RBIs, home runs and stolen bases. But again, it is probably best to wait until close to opening day and check back on the status of his hand. Perdomo has a hits line at 144.5 while Marte has hits, home runs and RBIs as his primary props. More fun squares for him include a 1.5 triples line and a 1.5 multi-home run square. Last year, Marte had three multi-home run games. 

In the end, a lot of questions remain for the Arizona franchise, but they’ve shown a strong competitive spirit over the years. The 2026 season won’t be any different.