Arizona Diamondbacks 2024 MLB Season Summary: Strong offense unable to overcome pitching issues

Arizona Diamondbacks

Team record: 89-73 (.549)

3rd place, West Holland

Team ERA: 4.63 (27th)

Team OPS: .777 (2nd)

Which went well

With an 89-73 record, the Diamondbacks fell just short of a wild card spot when the Mets and Braves eliminated them from the playoffs by splitting a September 30 doubleheader. It was the bats that kept the team in contention all season long, with the team’s .777 OPS second only to the Dodgers. Ketel Marte had an incredible campaign, setting career highs in home runs with 36 and RBIs with 95, while also stealing seven bases and hitting .292/.372/.560 in 583 plate appearances. Corbin Carroll, who was a top-five fantasy draft pick last spring, had a terrible start to the season before salvaging the year with 17 runs scored, 17 steals and a .258 batting average in the second half. Throughout the year, he had 22 homers and 35 steals. Eugenio Suárez proved to be a valuable addition to the lineup, hitting 30 homers and driving in a class-leading 101 RBIs with a .788 OPS. And the ever-consistent Christian Walker had another solid season, posting an .803 OPS, 26 runs scored and 84 RBI. The team also had contributions from Jake McCarthy, Joc Pederson and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

When it came to pitching, there wasn’t much to be excited about. Zac Gallen was solid, posting a 3.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 156 strikeouts in 148 innings. He missed part of the season in late May due to a torn hamstring. Justin Martinez had a breakout season out of the bullpen, posting a 2.48 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings, along with eight saves. AJ Puk was outstanding at the trade deadline, posting a 1.32 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings with the team. But that’s where the good things end on the pitching front.

What went wrong

While the hitting was good, Arizona’s pitching was just as bad, posting an ERA of 4.63 as the 27th-ranked team in baseball. The Diamondbacks simply had nothing else to offer behind Gallen. Brandon Pfaadt led the team in innings with 181 2/3, but he did not post an ERA all season long at 4.71. Jordan Montgomery was expected to be a steady presence this season, but he struggled mightily with a 6.23 ERA in 117 frames. The team struggled to put together the rest of the rotation. Eduardo Rodriguez posted just a 5.04 ERA over 50 innings. It was this lack of offense that ultimately led to the team being one game short of the playoffs.

Fancy angles

**Despite an overall down season, an increase in speed and a second-half turnaround will likely make Carroll the first Diamondback selected in 2025 fantasy drafts. The 24-year-old outfielder was hitting just .212/.301/.334 with five runs scored during the All-Star break. Under external stats, he achieved a hard hit rate of 35.9% and a hit rate per barrel of 3.8%. Things improved in the second half as he raised those numbers to a 47.8% hard hit rate and a 12.5% ​​barrel rate to support power gains in that stretch. If 20/30 and a .256 BABIP become Carroll’s mainstay, the speedster could get a discount in 2025.

**Marte should be the first true second baseman taken in the fantasy draft after an incredible season. His 36 home runs and .932 OPS were backed by career-high barrel rates of 12.3 percent and a hard hit rate of 53.4 percent. Even with the rule change, Marte still only stole seven bases, so he’ll still add a few steals. However, you can confidently bet on him when it comes to power and batting average, which makes him a perfect player in four categories, worthy of a selection in the top three rounds.

**Gallen’s slightly elevated walk rate and career-high BABIP of .305 led to a higher WHIP than the 29-year-old right-hander. He struggled with a hamstring injury throughout July and August before finishing the season in September with a solid ERA of 2.67. He will be a great batting prospect, providing excellent numbers and play rate as a second or third starter.

**Justin Martinez stepped into a closer role after Paul Sewald quit. Martinez made eight saves and had an overall excellent season, posting an ERA of 2.48. However, in September, the 23-year-old right-hander struggled to stay consistent. AJ Puk was impressive during his time in Arizona, giving up just four runs on a 43/5 K/BB ratio in 27 1/3 innings with the team. This is closer material. As it stands, the team could simply choose by committee in the ninth round of next season, but Puk will be worth a penalty in the later rounds.

** Pfaadt was a popular sleeper in 2024 after impressing in the 2023 postseason. He certainly showed some upside throughout the season and had some skills to build on. His 3.75 xERA, 3.61 FIP and 3.58 xFIP numbers suggest he pitched better than his 4.71 ERA indicates. What the 26-year-old right-hander needs to improve is his effectiveness against left-handed batsmen. Left-handed hitters posted a .811 OPS and a 19.7% strikeout rate against him, while right-handed hitters had a combined .635 OPS and a 29.1% strikeout rate. If he can find the right pitch mix to deal with left-handed batters, Pfaadt could have some upside and breakout potential.

Key free agents

Christian Walker, Paul Sewald, Josh Bell, Kevin Newman, Jordan Montgomery (player option), Joc Pederson (mutual option), Eugenio Suárez (club option)

Team needs

Bringing back Christian Walker should be a priority to keep the squad intact. Otherwise, it will all come down to starting pitching for the Diamondbacks next season. The team needs to improve its rotation behind Gallen. The improvement made by Pfaadt and Rodriguez would be very significant, but expect the team to be players in the free agent and trade markets when it comes to starting pitching.