Sunday, August 17

Welcome to the D-backs Beat Newsletter! I’m Steve Gilbert and I’ve been writing about the D-backs since 1998. Let’s get right to it …

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo likes to say that until there is an “e” by his team’s name in the standings that they are not eliminated from the postseason race.

Mathematically, he’s correct, and it’s the way he has to approach things in his role. But when you look at the chances of Arizona making the postseason at this point, they’ve all but evaporated.

That doesn’t mean that there is nothing left to play for over the final 40-plus games of the season. Jobs are on the line for 2026 and how certain players perform down the stretch will go a long way toward how the organization views them heading into next year.

With that in mind, here are three things for fans to keep a close eye on in the final seven weeks of the season.

Will Jordan Lawlar and Tyler Locklear establish themselves?
Diamondbacks top prospect, shortstop Jordan Lawlar, is close to being fully healthy and rejoining Triple-A Reno. That’s step one of getting him back to the big leagues.

The second step is him performing well with the Aces in order to earn a callup. Both general manager Mike Hazen and Lovullo made it clear that nothing will be given to him.

Lawlar has hit at Reno before and likely will again, which means he is all but certain to see time in the big leagues. With Eugenio Suárez now in Seattle, Lawlar has a path to playing time at third base.

There’s little left for Lawlar to prove at the Minor League level and it’s just a matter of him getting consistent playing time in the Major Leagues to see if he can make the necessary adjustments. He didn’t get that in a September callup in 2023 nor his brief stint with Arizona earlier this season.

Blaze Alexander has done a nice job at third base as well since the Suárez trade and he could also help solidify his role in the future.

Or, the Diamondbacks could decide that they will need to look at the trade or free-agent markets in the offseason to fill the spot.

Locklear, who came over in the Suárez trade, has gotten a lot of playing time over the last week with Josh Naylor gone and Pavin Smith on the injured list. The Diamondbacks like his ability to control the strike zone and want to give him a long look.

Smith, too, will get time when he’s healthy. He had a really good start to the season and the Diamondbacks have long believed in his ability to hit.

Which relievers will step up?
The bullpen has been an Achilles heel for the Diamondbacks this year and part of Arizona’s strategy at the Trade Deadline was to acquire as many young arms as they could for both the bullpen and starting rotation (we’ll get to that shortly).

Andrew Hoffmann, who came over from the Royals in the Randal Grichuk deal, has already gotten a chance to pitch in leverage situations and figures to get more. Lefty Brandyn Garcia, acquired in the Naylor deal, got an initial look before being optioned to Reno and he will likely be back at some point.

Right-hander Juan Burgos, who came over in the Suárez deal, will likely see some innings as well. Juan Morillo should come off the injured list this month and the Diamondbacks will see what they have in him.

Alfred Morillo and Kyle Amendt are another pair of young relievers that could possibly see time.

What does the starting pitching depth look like?
With the departure of Merrill Kelly, the expectation that Zac Gallen will depart via free agency and the fact that Corbin Burnes won’t be back until midseason next year at the earliest, the Diamondbacks will have holes to fill in the rotation next year.

Left-hander Kohl Drake, acquired in the Kelly deal, is likely to get a start or two in September.

A couple of Arizona Draft picks, left-hander Spencer Giesting and right-hander Dylan Ray also could get looks depending on how things shake out.

It’s not the final two months of the season that the Diamondbacks planned or hoped for on Opening Day, but they will try and make the most of them to set up a better 2026.

Right-handed reliever Kevin Ginkel got a second opinion on his shoulder, which confirmed the first diagnosis of a sprain.

That means Ginkel will not be able to begin a throwing program for six weeks, which means that he will not pitch again in 2026.

Catcher Gabriel Moreno is getting closer to a return from the right hand fracture that has kept him on the injured list since June 19.

Moreno is eligible to come off the 60-day IL on Aug. 15, but it will probably be a few days after that, during Arizona’s six-game homestand which starts on Aug. 18.

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