Top 10 Former Diamondbacks in the Postseason

Which former Diamondbacks will fans be rooting for in the playoffs this year ?

Every team has their share of questionable trades or roster moves that haven't worked out, or worked out better for the other team. Decisions not to resign a pending free agent can reverberate through time as well. Without further ado, here then is the list of top 10 through 1 former Diamondbacks who will be playing in the post season in 2022. 

No. 10: David Peralta

© David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Freight Train broke in with the Diamondbacks in 2014 and quickly became a fan favorite.  Known for his exuberance and all out style of play Peralta played nine years for Arizona, and is among the franchise leaders in multiple offensive categories. With just two months left on his contract he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays at the 2022 trade deadline and will get an opportunity to play in the post season for just the second time in his career.

No. 9: Eduardo Escobar

© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Eduardo Escobar came to the Diamondbacks in a mid season trade in 2018 and immediately became another fan favorite. His combination of power hitting, solid defense, and infectious smile endeared him to teammates and fans alike. He signed a three year extension with Arizona and rewarded the club with a career year in 2019  hitting 35 home runs and driving in 118. He followed that up with an All Star Appearance in 2021 before being moved to Milwaukee at the trade deadline with two months remaining on his deal. He signed with the Mets prior to 2022 and has turned in a solid season after a slow start, posting a 106 OPS+. He's been red hot in September, batting .321 with 8 homers and 25 RBI down the stretch. Escobar is 5-14, .357 B.A. in his limited post season experience. 

No. 8: Mitch Haniger

© Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports

Mitch Haniger was traded to the Mariners along with Jean Segura after the 2016 season in exchange for Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker.  When healthy Haniger has been one of the best outfielders in the American League. But he's battled injuries on and off impacting his total production. Still, per 162 games he's averaged 33 HR, 94 RBI and a .817 OPS while playing excellent defense. Haniger has played in 57 games in 2022, batting .246 with a .736 OPS, 11 homers and  and 34 RBI

No. 7: Jean Segura

© Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Segura played in just one season for the Diamondbacks in 2016, having come over in a trade with Milwaukee. It was a great year as he led the league in hits with 203 and batted .319 while smacking 41 doubles, seven triples and 20 home runs. But nearing free agency, Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen included him in the same trade that sent Haniger to the Mariners. He played two seasons there before signing as a free with Philadelphia in 2019.  While 2016 was a high water mark for Segura, he remains a solid contact hitter, batting .277 in a league where batting average is down across the board. This will be the first post season appearance of his career. 

No. 6: Brandon Drury

© Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Drury broke in with the Diamondbacks in 2015, playing three seasons with the club. He batted .271 with 31 home runs in 289 games.  Part of the ill fated  three way trade that brought Stephen Souza Jr. to Arizona, Drury struggled with migraines and blurred vision for three seasons before resolving the issue. After a successful stint with the Mets in a bench role in  Drury signed a one year deal with the Reds prior to 2022. He broke out by belting 20 homers and driving in 59 while batting .274 in 92 games. That earned him a trade to playoff contender San Diego Padres where he's continued to provide power, socking eight more homers and driving in 28 over 46 games.  He particularly tortured D-backs pitching, batting .333 with six homers and 11 RBI in 10 games against his former club. 

No. 5: Taijuan Walker

© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Taijuan Walker was part of the big  trade with the Mariners in  the 2016-17 off season. He had a good season in 2017 with the D-backs, going 9-9 with a 3.49 ERA in 157 innings, helping get them to the playoffs.  Injuries, including Tommy John surgery short circuited his Diamondbacks career however. Non tendered after the 2019 season, Walker rebounded in 2020, putting up 11 solid starts for the Mariners and Bluejays. That earned him a free agent contract with the Mets where he has continued to have success. In 2022 he is 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA in 157 innings.

No. 4: Robbie Ray

© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Robbie Ray showed flashes of brilliance during his six year tenure with the Diamondbacks. When he was on there were few pitchers more dominant  as he averaged over 11 strikeouts per nine innings. But frequent battles with control led to over 4 walks per nine, high pitch counts and short outings all too frequently. Rather than sign him to an extension, the team opted to trade him to Toronto at the 2020 deadline. The Blue Jays brought him back on a one year deal for 2021. Ray discovered himself, dropping his walk rate all the way down to 2.45/9 and throwing 193 innings, getting deep into games all season long. Leading the league in ERA (2.84) and strikeouts (248) he won the Cy Young award. 2022 has not been as spectacular, but his walk rate remains under three per nine innings while he's gone 12-12, with a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts,  189 innings

 

No.3: Dansby Swanson

© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Dansby Swanson was taken with the first overall pick  by the Diamondbacks in the 2015. Six months later he was part of the disastrous trade with the Atlanta Braves that brought Shelby Miller to Arizona. Swanson's career developed slowly, as he was a light hitting, solid defensive shortstop for his first three season. But since 2020 he has emerged as a power hitter while still playing outstanding defense at short. 2022 was a career year in which Swanson hit .277, with25 homers,  and 96 RBI. He's also been an iron man, playing in 162 games this year and only missing two games over the past three season. Swanson, who will be a free agent this year, will be playing in the post season for his fourth straight year. He's batted .264 with five homers and 15 RBI in 121 post season at bats and has a world championship ring from 2021

No 2: Max Scherzer

© Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Max Scherzer was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the first round, 11th overall of the 2006 draft. With Scott Boras as his agent it took a full year for him to sign however, and he even pitched in Independent ball in the mean time. Once he finally got in the system He didn't take long to get through the system making a stunning debut on April 29th, 2008.  Shockingly, he was traded after the 2009 season for Ian Kennedy. While the trade looked good for the D-backs early on, as Kennedy won 21 games for a 2011 playoff team, it was all down hill for the Arizona side after that.  Scherzer won the first of his three Cy Young Awards in 2012 and has never looked back.  Age and injury have slowed him a little the last few years, but when on the mound the fiery competitor remains among the best pitchers in the league. He made 23 starts in 2022, going 11-5 with a 2.29 ERA and 10.7 K/9

Paul Gold Schmidt

© Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

When Mike Hazen traded the face of the franchise Paul Goldschmidt after the 2018 season there was just one more year before Goldschmidt would become a free agent. Hazen might not have envisioned the slugging first baseman still being an MVP candidate in his mid-thirties. Initially it looked like Hazen might have been right, as Goldschmidt had a medicore season by his standards in 2019. But since then he's returned to being one of top hitters in the league, culminating in a virtuoso MVP caliber performance in 2022. He hit .317 with 35 homers, 115 RBI. He led the league in slugging and OPS and racked up 7.8 WAR. While most Diamondbacks fans still root for Goldy to succeed, they are surely finding it bitter sweet seeing him do it in a different shad of red.