End of the Road 2015: Arizona Diamondbacks

As a direct result of the Cubs victory against St. Louis on Friday afternoon, the Arizona Diamondbacks have been mathematically eliminated from the MLB postseason, meaning that they’ve effectively come to the end of the road in their 2015 season. As we’ll do with each eliminated team this season, let’s give them a send-off that would make Boyz II Men proud.

We’ll look at the highs and lows of their season, what bright spots their future might hold and what questions need answering as they prepare for 2016.

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HIGH POINT: Not a lot was expected from the Diamondbacks as they continue rebuilding under general manager Dave Stewart. To their credit, they did manage to stay competitive in a top-heavy NL West, even managing to climb over .500 on Aug. 23. That felt like a monumental moment in their season, as they’d spent over four months attempting to get over that hump. Though it wouldn’t propel them back into the race, it established that Arizona isn’t far away from making noise.

LOW POINT: As hard as Arizona has battled all season, they haven’t been able to overcome their tough stretch in mid-July. The D-Backs limped into the All-Star break after being swept by the Mets at Citi Field. They emerged from the break losing five of six at home to San Francisco and Miami. The stretch was capped with an ejection-filled loss to Jose Fernandez, who accidentally hit David Peralta in the head with a pitch.

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BEST HIGHLIGHT: Though the D-Backs didn’t win on May 31 in Milwaukee, Paul Goldschmidt did manage to set a franchise record by reaching base seven times. The All-Star first baseman had three hits, including a first-inning home run. He also walked four times, three of which were intentional. The Brewers had simply seen enough of the 2013 MVP runner-up. He finished the series 9-for-13 with three homers and three doubles.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: This may come as a surprise to some, but Arizona has the highest scoring offense in the NL. They have a true star to build around in Goldschmidt and a promising outfield with David Peralta, A.J. Pollock and Ender Inciarte. If Chris Owings and rookie Yasmany Tomas can take a step foward next season, look out. Their pitching is a little bit suspect, but a healthy Patrick Corbin should give them a go-to guy. Depending on their offseason, Arizona could be a popular pick to break through next season.

QUESTION THAT NEEDS ANSWERING: With his team on the rise, how aggressive will Dave Stewart be heading to 2016? With nine trades under his belt from last winter and another six major league involved trades during the regular season, one would think Stewart will come out firing. Will he go big though, knowing his squad is probably two or three big pieces away from contending, or will he wait back and let the market play out? He’s in a very interesting spot.

Previously in this series: Phillies, Braves, Reds, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers, Padres.

Up next: The Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants are next in line to be eliminated.

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