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PHOENIX -- Corbin Carroll does so many things well on the baseball field that it's hard to pick any one thing that stands out, but if there something the Diamondbacks outfielder clearly does better than anyone in the Majors these days, it's collect triples. Lots and lots of triples. The speedy Carroll had an MLB-best 17 through Friday, which surpassed the previous club record of 14 that he accomplished in 2024 and Tony Womack did in 2000. "I think it's just a cool feather in the cap," Carroll said last month, when he initially set the record. With some weird angles in the left- and right-field corners as well as outfield gaps that are 413 feet away from home plate, Chase Field is a perfect home ballpark for someone like Carroll. Not to be overlooked is the fact that every time Carroll hits a ball, he immediately takes off like he's looking for extra bases, whether that's a double or a triple. "I'm trying to run hard out of the box and I kind of make a decision a little bit before second base,” he said. “We just have a good ballpark for it." |
Carroll's teammates (more from them below) feel like he somehow gains speed as he goes. It's when he is closing in on second base that he knows whether he's going to try and go for three. "I feel like, when I hit second base, it's kind of full go," Carroll said. "Most times you hit a triple, it's to right or right-center, and so you're trying to watch it and judge it as you're running. I'm trying to watch [the outfielders] as I'm running, and get an idea of their speed and the speed that they're moving at towards the ball. And then once you hit second base, it's just full gear." There is also work done before games to understand each of the opposing team's outfielders. "I think our coaches do a good job of preparing us before the series and we've got a good idea of [the outfielders'] speed and their arms. But I think a lot of it, too, is just in the moment, developing some feel for it, and just realizing when the time to push the pace is." Here's what Carroll's manager and teammates have to say about watching him run the bases: |
Manager Torey Lovullo: "He's a massive cat out there. Nobody gets around the bases faster. He’s running 30 feet per second, cutting off edges, doing everything he’s supposed to do fundamentally to get to third base. A ball in the gap is not a double. He’s thinking three. And it’s pretty remarkable. It’s fun to watch. I take my eyes off the ball and start watching him somewhere around first base.” First baseman Pavin Smith: "It's obviously a sight to see. Seeing him pick up speed, and it definitely looks like he's trying to run hard. You know the faces that he makes when he's rounding second, going for third, are pretty funny. Then, he slides into third and it's just back to just a straight face. So, it's crazy. Seventeen triples. That doesn't happen by accident. It's impressive." Second baseman Ketel Marte: "He's fun to watch. And I just keep saying, he's one of the best players in the league." Right-hander Zac Gallen: "I think anytime he hits the ball down the line or in the right-field gap there's a good chance it's a triple. He runs so hard out of the box you know that at any point the triple is in play. I think a lot of people, at least I've seen on social media, get a kick out of his face when he runs. It's always funny to see those pop up on my feed. From a team standpoint, from a run production standpoint, I would imagine it increases your odds to score a run when the guy is standing on third base over second base. He's getting himself over from second to third without having to task the guy hitting behind him to advance him. It's just cool to watch. I feel like you don't see a lot of triples nowadays. Like you see guys just take their doubles, but not him. He's going for three if he can." Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt: "Well, it used to be more exciting, but now it's kind of normal. I've seen it too many times. I'm kidding, of course. What he's doing this year with the triples is incredible. I think his run is unique. He's very, very fast, but very stiff, and his face is so different when he's running hard. Watching him round second, it's pretty amazing." |
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In a recent interview, Lovullo was asked to describe the Diamondbacks, and he used the word "fun."
So, the front office had each player write the word "Fun" down without telling them why. On Friday, as players arrived at Chase Field, they were greeted with shirts that had "Fun" written all over it in the players' handwriting and they wore them for batting practice.
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