Diamondbacks Regular Season Preview: March/April
Opening Day for the Arizona Diamondbacks is set for March 28th at 7:10 local AZ time. That kicks off a tough month for the D-backs who will face plenty of potential playoff contenders as they look to defend their NL title. The Diamondbacks are used to playing tough schedules as they've played in the Wild West of the NL West where there are almost always two playoff teams, if not more. Let's preview the Diamondbacks' first month of the regular season in our regular season preview series.
Over March and April, the Snakes will face eight different teams. Only two made the playoffs last year, but five have made it in the last two years. The eight teams last year combined for a record of 666-630. That's a winning percentage of 0.514. This was last year though and teams changed over the offseason. However, many of these teams improved in multiple ways.
The Diamondbacks went 21-25 against the American League last year. They'll be tested in that sphere immediately in the regular season with two series against AL teams in the first month-plus. Two teams they face in the first month won their divisions. Plus, another two finished with records barely outside of the Wild Card race. The D-backs will have to play inspired, connected, and fast right from the first pitch as they seek to make the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since 2002.
The Diamondbacks will have 15 home games and 16 away games. The away schedule is especially brutal as they will have a three-city, 11-day, 10-game road trip that takes them across the country over three different time zones. The D-backs will have to overcome their Opening Day woes as the team is 3-7 over their last ten Opening Day games dating back to 2014. Overall, the team is 13-12 on Opening Day.
Opening Day Series Vs Rockies, 3/28-3/31
The Diamondbacks are used to playing against the Rockies. This will be the ninth time the D-backs have played on Opening Day against the Rockies. In their history, they are 4-4 so this will be the tiebreaker. Last season, Arizona was 10-3 against Colorado. They outscored them 86 runs to 55 runs as the Rockies set a franchise record for losses. The team didn't do much in the offseason beyond adding a starting pitcher in Cal Quantrill and a catcher in Jacob Stallings. The D-backs have to win 3/4 games in this series as there aren't many gimme series in baseball, especially against a clear rebuilder.
Vs New York Yankees, 4/1-4/3
The Yankees will be back in town for the first time since 2019. Against the D-backs on the road, they are 5-10 including losing both of their last two games at Chase Field in 2019. However, overall, the Yankees are 18-14 against Arizona. The D-backs played the Yankees in New York last year and went 1-2 in a series full of mistakes. The Yankees went 82-80 last year and got 4th place. That shouldn't happen this year.
That's because the Yanks added superstar Juan Soto and strong starting pitcher Marcus Stroman. Soto significantly helps their lineup and gives Aaron Judge elite protection. New York is out for vengeance this year so the D-backs better be ready to play their best baseball.
@Atlanta Braves, 4/5-4/7
The Braves may have had the best record in baseball last year, but that doesn't mean they were unbeatable. The D-backs went 3-3 against them with 36 runs scored to 38 given up showing they were pretty evenly matched. Of course, the Braves did improve this offseason with the acquistions of Chris Sale, Jared Kelenic, and Reynaldo Lopez. All-time, the D-backs are 80-95, but since 2021, they are 4-6. This will be a tough matchup, but if the D-backs want to repeat last season, they will have to beat one of MLB's best teams.
@Colorado Rockies, 4/8-4/10
The D-backs went 4-2 at Coors Field last season. Since 2020, they are 12-15 there.
Vs St. Louis Cardinals, 4/12-4/14
The Diamondbacks are getting to face the Cardinals early in the season which could bode well while the Cardinals figure out their starting rotation full of newcomers. Adam Wainwright retired and in his stead, the Cardinals signed Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson. Gibson and Lynn are elder pitchers that eat innings but don't provide much in terms of limiting runs. Surely, you remember the four homers the D-backs hit off Lynn in the NLDS.
The D-backs went 3-3 against the Cardinals last year with 35 runs scored to 46 given up. If you remember, Madison Bumgarner's final start came against the Cardinals when the D-backs lost 14-5. In their other 5 games, the D-backs scored 30 runs to 32 given up.
Vs Chicago Cubs, 4/15-4/17
It's hard to say that a series in April is a must-win, but this classifies as one. The Cubs and D-backs are expected to be in a hotly contested matchup for the Wild Card standings. The D-backs bettered the Cubs by one game last season for playoffs. One could say that was solely due to Arizona going 6-1 against them with 31 runs scored against 21 given up.
If the D-backs can do that again this year, that will give them a big leg up over Chicago. In the 2020s, Arizona is 12-8 against Chicago. Look for them to keep that up in this tight series after Chicago added Michael Busch, David Peralta, and Shota Imanaga.
@San Francisco Giants, 4/18-4/21
The D-backs take on the rival Giants for a 4-game set that will look for them to continue their success against San Fran from last year. They went 7-6 against the Giants last year. However, at the Giants, they were just 2-5. That can't happen this year and will have to be reversed. However, the Giants added multiple key players and a new manager in Bob Melvin. On the players' side, they added star DH Jorge Soler and centerfielder Jung-Hoo Lee.
They signed new starting pitcher Jordan Hicks, although it remains to be seen if he can hold up as a starting pitcher. The Giants will be jostling for the playoffs so a fast start against them will be key for the D-backs. Plus, it will let them start their three-city road trip well.
@St. Louis Cardinals, 4/22-4/24
The D-backs will be getting their season series over quickly with the Cardinals. They'll seek to continue their road success against the Cardinals from last year when they went 2-1.
@Seattle Mariners, 4/26-4/28
The Diamondbacks will see former player Josh Rojas and the Mariners early in the season after going 1-2 last year against them. In the 2020s, the D-backs are 4-8 against Seattle albeit that's mostly due to being 2-7 at home. The Mariners retooled their roster over the offseason acquiring Jorge Polanco, Mitch Haniger, and Luke Raley to go along with their star Julio Rodriguez and MLB's best starting rotation. This will be a big series for Arizona to reverse their trend of losing against the American League.
Vs Los Angeles Dodgers, 4/29-5/1
It will be the D-backs' first matchup against Shohei Ohtani and the star-filled Dodgers in 2024. Arizona went 5-8 against the Dodgers which was far better than in years past. The Dodgers went 14-5 against Arizona in 2022 and went 16-3 in 2021. So, that 5-8 was a big step forward.
Against an overwhelming roster that was reinforced by Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez, and others, the D-backs will look to win some games. If they can, it will improve their ability to contend in the NL West and for the Wild Card.
Over the first month-plus of games, getting out to a fast start is critical. The D-backs did this last year by going 16-13. The ideal record after April will hopefully be 17 or more wins. That would put them in fantastic shape for the Wild Card. Remember, a game lost in April can have significant ramifications for how the playoffs are seeded, evidenced by the D-backs one game above the Cubs.
The D-backs have to go at least 15-16 if not 16-15 to be near or above .500. They can't afford to get out to a tough or rocky start. Every game matters. The Diamondbacks will look to replicate their 2023 April with a winning record and the chance to be atop the NL West.
