Arizona Diamondbacks Game Preview, #81: Ready the 'For Sale' signs

Zach Eflin RHP, 0-2, 6.28

Archie Bradley RHP, 3-3, 4.50

Odubel Herrera - CF	Jean Segura - SS
Peter Bourjos - RF	Phil Gosselin - 2B
Cody Asche - LF	Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
Maikel Franco - 3B	Jake Lamb - 3B
Tommy Joseph - 1B	Yasmany Tomas - RF
Cameron Rupp - C	Chris Herrmann - C
Freddy Galvis - SS	Brandon Drury - LF
Cesar Hernandez - 2B	Archie Bradley - RHP
Zach Eflin - RHP	Michael Bourn - CF

There's a strong feeling of deja vu about recent results for the Diamondbacks. Remember last season, when we went on the road, swept a four-game series in Cincinnati, and suddenly were (briefly) convinced that Arizona could contend? We then came back to Chase Field, lost six of seven here, and never came within sniffing distance of the .500 mark the rest of the season. I've got a feeling the 7-1 start to the last road-trip is going to serve a similar purpose as far as the 2016 campaign goes: a false dawn, marking not so much the beginning of our hopes, as the beginning of the end for them.

For the fourth consecutive loss which followed, has dropped the Diamondbacks 13.5 back in the division. Tyue, we are "only" 6.5 back in the wild-card. But we are nearer the Cincinnati Reds, with the second-worst record in the league, than we are the Marlins, currently in possession of the second wild-card spot. Even if we win today - and that's by no means certain - we'll reach the half-way point with 37 wins. In the wild-card era, no team has made the playoffs with fewer than 38 victories in the first half. If we'd won just one of the last four, there'd still be precedent, but instead, to reach the post-season, the D-backs need to do something not done under the current format.

Oh, and that's now after having had their ace - indeed, only reliable pitcher - leave the game last night with an oblique injury, and likely to miss time. Of course, we'll continue to hope for a miracle: Daniel Hudson said the playoffs aren't impossible. He's right, and the players should certainly be the very last to admit otherwise. But realistically, the front-office now needs to be gearing up for a trade deadline at which they convert current assets into future potential, not acquiring players for a stretch run. Brad Ziegler, Hudson, perhaps even Jean Segura, might be among the players on whom the team should be listening to offers.