Diamondbacks React to Missing Playoffs For 3rd Straight Season

For the third straight year, the Arizona Diamondbacks were eliminated from playoff contention in the midst of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres.

When the score of the Philadelphia Phillies' win over the Tampa Bay Rays — the ultimate knockout blow to Arizona's postseason aspirations — went final, manager Torey Lovullo came onto the field for a mound visit.

He spent a moment consoling his team, who had just found out they were eliminated, despite a close (at the time) game still taking place at Petco Park. Arizona went on to lose, 9-4.

Torey Lovullo comforts his guys after learning that the Phillies punched their ticket to the postseason pic.twitter.com/LaQcSxdgf7
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) September 27, 2026

"It's my job to get in front of them and just say thank you for the effort. Thank you for what we did," Lovullo said.

"We fought as hard as we could, and we have nothing to be ashamed of. I saw a lot of long faces in there and heads down, but I want to make sure that I acknowledge what they did this year. It was a really special group."

Diamondbacks react to missing playoffs again

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo looks on from the dugout during their game against the San Francisco Giants. — Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo looks on from the dugout during their game against the San Francisco Giants on June 29, 2026, at Chase Field in Phoenix. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It's a tough reality to swallow for Arizona. Missing the playoffs by two games when they had a chance to overtake the Phillies in the final series of the year is eerily reminiscent of their two previous seasons, in which they missed the postseason in the final days of the year.

"We played hard for every inning of every game, and we came... a couple games short, and it's happened in the past. We've come close, and we've got to find a way to turn that corner and start to win baseball games," Lovullo said.

Star outfielder Corbin Carroll described the feeling as "super disappointed."

"Felt like there was definitely a good chance," he said. "I thought we played pretty well in September this year. I think the record was pretty solid. I think just over the course of 162, it's hard to pin in on a game — a week. ... It's just kind of the totality of it. We've got to play better."

Veteran Nolan Arenado had this to say:

"I think we showed a lot of fight. That was really great. We just didn't take care of business when we should have. That last home stand, I think that's what stands out to me, is that we didn't take care of business in those series, and it kind of put us in a hole.

"But it was great to see us just battle all the way to the end of the fight. And I feel like we did that right here. It just wasn't enough at the right time."

Catcher Gabriel Moreno, who could not play Sunday due to a hamstring injury but did secure Arizona's first-ever National League batting title with a .311 season average, had a similar sentiment.

Sep 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (14) is congratulated. — Sep 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (14) is congratulated by right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) after scoring during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"We did a really good job trying to come back and make the playoffs," Moreno said. "We finally made that adjustment. It was a little bit late."

Right-hander Michael Soroka, who started Sunday's game and allowed three runs in 4.2 innings, spoke positively about Arizona's late-season push.

"It's tough. I think we can be proud of the way that we battled this last week," Soroka said. "To be able to kind of run the tables a little bit and at least play meaningful baseball through 162, that means a lot.

Soroka is on an expiring one-year deal, but said he would "absolutely love to return and just take care of some unfinished business."

"We did whatever we could this last week and it stings. But I think this club's got a lot of good things going for it. I said it when I signed here at the beginning of this year, I felt like this was a special group."

And it was. For as disappointing a result as 2026 may carry, the Diamondbacks provided an entertaining, competitive product on a regular basis.

Finishing 10 games over .500 at season's end was a major overperformance, compared to pre-season expectations. Unfortunately, too many squandered opportunities were the difference. Arizona sits and watch the dance from afar once more.

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