There may be a team on the rise out in the National League West.
No, we’re not talking about the Los Angeles Dodgers or even the San Diego Padres.
The team in question is the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arizona finished in fourth place in the NL West with a 74-88 record, but appear to have bridged the gap some with the top teams in the division with a busy offseason.
The D’Backs acquired catcher Gabriel Moreno and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Daulton Varsho.
They also acquired outfielder and former American League Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis from the Seattle Mariners.
They even made a few key free agent signings, such as Evan Longoria, Miguel Castro, and Scott McCough.
MLB Network posted a graphic on Twitter outlining everything Arizona has done this winter.
A busy offseason in Arizona 🏜️ pic.twitter.com/oIq3iJkh7W
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 9, 2023
Don’t look now, but the Diamondbacks are taking some steps towards relevance again.
The team reached the postseason in 2017 with 93 wins, but have not been back since.
Still, there is reason for optimism.
This is a team that could emerge as a sneaky contender in 2023.
In addition to their offseason moves, they already have stars such as Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, Seth Beer, Josh Rojas, Pavin Smith, and Corbin Carroll.
This is a young team with plenty of upside and reasons to be excited for the future.
They also have some solid pitching too, including staff ace Zac Gallen and veterans Madison Bumgarner, Merrill Kelly, and Zack Davies.
Things are looking up out in the desert.
