Surprise: Arizona Diamondbacks on a roll
The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t have a lot of pressure on them heading into the season because of the division they are in. The National League West had the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies to worry about, so they could somewhat coast through the season without much worry.
That is until the Giants ended up struggling and being plagued with injuries while their pitching has shown signs of regression.
Even with that scenario, the Diamondbacks managed to make their way hanging out at second place in the division.
It’s not all their offense either. Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock, of course, possess power. But they, along with Chris Owings are also stealing bases and taking advantage of the latitude they’re given.
Archie Bradley, in 16 innings pitched so far, holds a 10.69 K/9 rate with a 1.13 ERA. He’s shifted to a bullpen role, and the numbers prove he’s doing amazing. He has truly found his niche, and Arizona is benefiting from that in a big way.