Things are hot in the desert right now

The Arizona Diamondbacks are proving a ton of people wrong. How have they managed to shoot to the top of the National League standings?

© Arizona Diamondbacks

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"There's a snake in my boot."

That's likely what the rest of the National League is saying. Although a western diamondback rattlesnake is rather large (on average, adults grow to 120 cm (4 ft.)) , so you'd have to be wearing some pretty big boots for one to fit in there.

The point of that last blurb is to state that the Arizona Diamondbacks are rolling. A 43-29 record (entering Monday, June 19) has them atop of the National League West. They did sit in first of the entire league prior to a recent losing streak against the Phillies. While there is a good chunk of the season remaining, this feat is noteworthy.

For example: the Diamondbacks haven't had a winning season since 2019 when they went 85-77. That record was unfortunately not good enough to earn a postseason berth. The last time they did that was 2017; they defeated the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in the wild card game before being swept in three by their division foe, the Los Angeles Dodgers in the divisional series.

The Dodgers have maintained a firm grip on the NL West. They've won the division in nine of the past ten seasons, including a trio of World Series appearances to boot. It has been a tough time for the snakes to leap to the top, especially considering they lost an astounding 100 games just two seasons ago in 2021.

Fast forward to June 2023, however, and the D-backs find themselves ahead of their opposition.

Is this just a fling, however? Will they sustain this position and march themselves into October? Who's to say? But there is no denying that their play up to this point in the season has been impressive. So, how have they achieved this? Let's take a look.

The exciting rookie

Players sometimes falter when associated with high expectations. They can't live up to the hype. They struggle to remain in the majors, and they eventually become the unfortunate answer to a trivia question. Then there is Corbin Carroll.

The reigning NL player of the week is enjoying a fantastic rookie season. Through 69 games, he has recorded 53 runs, 75 hits, 15 homers, 38 runs batted in, 19 stolen bases, a .305 batting average, a .589 slugging percentage and a .975 OPS. Those numbers are solid all-around, but what is most notable is the fact that he leads the club in pretty much all of those categories. That is not too shabby for the 22-year-old from Seattle. Given those statistics, he should most certainly find himself back home in just under one month's time.

It is not just the bat that Carroll utilizes well. His defensive play has been nothing short of "highlight reel-worthy."

This clip is just one of many incredible displays that Carroll has made in the outfield.

Aligned with these highlights is the ability that he possesses with his speed; his 19 swiped bags has him in a tie for seventh in the entire majors. Even more impressive is that when Carroll nailed a triple against the Detroit Tigers on June 11, he ran from home base to third base in 10.93 seconds. That clip is the second-fastest in the majors this season, just one-tenth behind the record set by Cincinnati Reds' youngster Elly De La Cruz.

If there wasn't enough good news: the Diamondbacks locked Carroll up with an eight-year contract extension in March of this year. He will be sticking around with the team through his age-30 season. That is just remarkable. The deal, which will pay him $111 million over that stretch, is the largest guaranteed contract for any player with less than 100 days of MLB service. It also carries a ninth-year club option.

Whether it be blazing speed, clutch hits, grand slams and eye-catching outfield plays, Carroll has delivered. He is the heart-and-soul of this Arizona squad.

The two-headed monster

I suppose "two-headed snake" would be more apropos, given the circumstances.

Mound men Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly have literally been firing on all cylinders this season. Gallen, the 27-year-old from Somerdale, N.J., holds a record of 8-2, a 2.96 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP to go along with an even 100 strikeouts. He was acquired by the club in July 2019 in a one-for-one trade that saw MLB The Show cover star Jazz Chisholm Jr. head to the Miami Marlins. Talk about a move that worked out for both sides. Since then, Gallen has performed strongly for the Arizona squad. His career 3.07 ERA is nothing to scoff at, and he's racked up a cool 609 punchouts along the way.

He is the only other Diamondback aside from the aforementioned Carroll to earn NL player of the week honors, doing so on April 17. He has operated as the team's number one option on the mound ever since arriving, and doesn't appear to be losing his grip on the position in the slightest. However...

Merrill Kelly had an interesting rise to where he is today. He was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 37th round of the 2007 draft, but did not sign with the club. Kelly then became an eighth round selection by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010. He bounced around their minor league system for a number of years before departing for the Korean league in 2015. Kelly and the SK Wyverns (now named SSG Landers) won the 2018 league championship. He signed with the Diamondbacks in December of that year and hasn't looked back. Kelly is no stranger to the Grand Canyon State, as he graduated from Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale back in 2006.

Kelly is enjoying a breakout campaign. The 34-year-old is 8-3 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Those numbers essentially parallel Gallen's, showcasing just how important these two are to the club. It is very possible that one of the two men will be the recipient of the NL Cy Young award, although Pirates' ace Mitch Keller may have something to say about that.

The other guys

Funny movie aside, the Diamondbacks as a whole have been bringing the fight each night. There have been teams throughout the history of professional sports who appear to be very good, but falter when it matters most. This can largely come down to depth, or lack thereof.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was essentially a throw-in in the Daulton Varsho-Gabriel Moreno trade from this past winter. Were his expectations somewhat low given a troublesome 2022 season? Possibly. Regardless, Gurriel is enjoying a fun-filled, bounce-back campaign. He has recorded 32 runs, 66 hits, 11 homers, 40 RBI, a .282 batting average, a .513 slugging percentage and a .845 OPS. Those 11 round-trippers top last season's total of five. His strong play has him on pace to smash all of his totals from his final year with the Toronto Blue Jays. Gurriel's loveable personality and funky hairstyle paints a picture of how great this year has been for him. If he and his squadmates can continue their impressive play, maybe he will join his brother Yuli in the World Series winner's club.

Another player turning things around this year is Ketel Marte. The former all-star mustered up just 12 home runs in 2022 while striking out a staggering 101 times. Fast-forward to today, and Marte ranks second on the team in runs (49) and hits (73). He also sits in the top-5 for home runs (ten), RBI (30), batting average (.289) and OPS (.851). That is not too shabby, and the Diamondbacks will gladly take that production.

Mix in some solid play from Moreno, Geraldo Perdomo, Pavin Smith and power bat Christian Walker, and the Arizona batting staff are sitting pretty right about now. There is always room for improvement, and there is still a good chunk of the season remaining, but this team should be happy with their play.

Improvements

While we have touched on the team's offensive success and their power-duo on the mound, this team is not impenetrable. Their struggles come on the pitching side of things. All of their stats in categories such as ERA, hits, runs and batting average fall into the half of the standings that you do not want to find yourself in. The team is winning, but poor play in this area that is in dire need of upgrades can be exposed at the worst of times.

Hurlers such as Ryne Nelson, Tommy Henry and Zach Davies haven't looked so hot this year. If this team wants to remain competitive, especially when it matters most, it will address its shortcomings. They have the tools, depth and flexibility to do so. Whether that be shoring up the rotation to relieve some pressure off of Gallen and Kelly's shoulders, or essentially doing the same by improving the bullpen, something needs to happen.

The Diamondbacks continue to be one of the most fun storylines in the majors this season. A very impressive turnaround has brought them to a place of relevancy, somewhere that they have struggled to establish a presence in for the past number of years. Is this their year? Only time will tell.