The Arizona Diamondbacks have not had the start they hoped for in 2024, but they are gradually climbing the National League West standings. The Diamondbacks have been mentioned in trade rumors, given the team's push for improvement, and they made a decisive move for Miami Marlins relief pitcher AJ Puk on Thursday.
The Diamondbacks acquired Puk from the Marlins in exchange for Deyvison De Los Santos and a minor-league position player, per Bob Nightengale (h/t Craig Mish). Arizona sought a change in their pitching depth despite going on a promising midseason run, but will it pay off?
Through 32 games with Miami in 2024, AJ Puk has held a .430 ERA, thrown 45 strikeouts, and amassed one save with 1.34 WHIP. ESPN's Jeff Passan provided more context to Puk's midseason performance and how he helps the D-backs:
“Since moving back to the bullpen after starting the season in the rotation, [Puk] has a 2.08 ERA over 30.1 innings with 33 strikeouts and opponents are slashing .159/.204/.252. In a market with good relievers, he is one of the best,” Passan wrote.
Hopefully, Puk can help Arizona's bullpen maintain momentum through the second half of the season.
Diamondbacks look to continue strong after Marlins trade
The D-backs possess a 53-50 record, which places them third in the NL West. They have gone on one of the most productive midseason streaks, winning seven of their last 10 games. Between July 10 and July 13, Arizona won four straight games: two against the Atlanta Braves and two against the Toronto Blue Jays. The club then won two of three games against the Chicago Cubs before splitting their first two late-July games against the Kansas City Royals.
Arizona entered the 2024 season with high expectations after advancing to the 2024 World Series. The Diamondbacks battled through numerous foes including the highly-touted Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies to face the Texas Rangers in the championship. Unfortunately, Arizona lost in five games, but their goals have not faded.
Christian Walker expressed confidence in the Diamondbacks in despite the team being third in the division.
“That’s the standard,” Walker said in late July, via The Athletic. “That’s good, but that’s a little unfair, right? Because now we’re identifying with a result, and now we’re back chasing our tails in a circle again. It’s back to the preparation and having fun in the dugout. All that s— is stuff that we can control. To come out and be like, ‘Nothing short of a World Series this year.’ Yeah, no doubt, that’s the f—ing goal, right? But a lot can happen out of your control. You can come up and execute your plan perfectly and still lose a game. It’s the beauty of what we do. There were expectations early and it was easy to forget how hard it was to get in.”
Walker wants the D-backs to control what they can control and knows the rest will come.
Follow Us
Subscribe
