Difficult September Schedule Will Test the Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks will face the most difficult portion of their schedule in September. Arizona will not only face three National League playoff contenders, but also a stretch of 21 straight games against divisional opponents from September 5th-25th. For better or worse, the D-backs are going to be thrown into the deep end of the pool and we'll see if they sink or swim.
From September 2nd to the end of the season, the D-backs will play 23 of their final 32 games against teams with a winning record. The team's record against teams who currently are above .500 is 19-38. The schedule also features eight games against the Dodgers, seven against the Padres, six each against the Brewers and Giants, three against the Rockies, and two against the Astros.
Diamondbacks September/October Schedule
The good news is the D-backs are coming off their best month of the season, with a record of 16-12 in August. They finished the month with back-to-back series wins against the Chicago White Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. The team has taken on a new identity, turning baseball games into track meets on the bases and playing great defense to stymie opponents. The starting rotation has performed well, collectively pitching to a 3.97 ERA last month. They'll be entering this difficult portion of the schedule with most of the team performing well.
For the D-backs to take the next step towards contention, they need to perform well against teams currently vying for playoff spots. Winning at home against a Philadelphia, who currently sit in the second NL Wild Card spot, was a good first step. The Brewers and Padres are also fighting Philadelphia for the final two Wild Card spots, with the D-backs playing a total of thirteen games against them with seven at Chase Field. Those thirteen games will be a measuring stick for the D-backs to see how close they are to competing for a playoff spot next season.
How the team handles this difficult stretch of games in the final five weeks of the season might indicate if this team is ready to compete for a playoff spot in 2023. While the schedule looks daunting on paper, the players should embrace the challenge and take those games as an opportunity to see where they stand against those teams. If the team is able to manage a winning record over their final 32 games, it should give them the confidence boost necessary to make a potential Wild Card run in 2023.
