Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #149: 9/15 vs. Cubs

Well, here we go. Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends. By which I mean, the madness of the wild-card race in the National League continues, with four teams going into play today within one-half game of each other for the final spot. If the D-backs win this series, the Cubs could find themselves being reeled back into the mosh-pit of contenders. It’s certainly quite a contrast to where the team has sat over the last few seasons. Here’s the team’s record and NL rank after the games of September 14th in previous seasons:

• 2023: 76-72 (.514), =6th
• 2022: 67-75 (.472), 9th
• 2021: 47-98 (.324), 15th
• 2020: 17-31 (.354), 14th
• 2019: 76-73 (.510), 9th
• 2018: 78-70 (.527), 7th
• 2017: 85-62 (..578), 3rd

So, regardless of wild-card configuration, it has been six years since the team has been ranked as high in the current NL standings on this date. But the closeness of the standings means that their position is very volatile. Depending on results, in five hours time, the D-backs could be anywhere from in sole position of sixth to ninth. Speaking of which, here are the games scheduled for your scoreboard watching pleasure tonight, in ascending order of their Arizona start times. So all the other games bare the Giants at Coors will be under way by the time this posted.

• Atlanta Braves @ Miami Marlins: 3:40 pm
• Cincinnati Reds @ New York Mets: 4:10 pm
• Washington Nationals @ Milwaukee Brewers: 5:10 pm
• Philadelphia Phillies @ St. Louis Cardinals: 5:15 pm
• San Francisco Giants @ Colorado Rockies: 5:40 pm
• Chicago Cubs @ Arizona D’Backs: 6:40 PM

With the D-backs having played their aces in the Mets series, this is definitely going to be a tough series for Arizona. Mind you, the way Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen pitched in New York, it’s probably for the best. Those kind of performances are best to take place when they hand a win to a team with whom we are not competing. They would have been doubly as detrimental if they had come tonight or tomorrow. Instead, they are in the books and Arizona still has a chance at winning these contests. Why, yes: this IS my optimism kicking in, thank you for asking. As ish95 said in the preview, “We wanted meaningful games in September, just remember that as we’re pulling our hair out this weekend.”

Couldn’t have put it better myself.