The Case for the Arizona Diamondbacks To Win the World Series

The Arizona Diamondbacks are no joke. Behind Paul Goldschmidt and Zack Greinke, the D-backs are a legitimate contender.

The Diamondbacks are no desert mirage: This has quietly been one of baseball’s best teams all season long. The middle of the order is a nightmare for opposing pitchers, featuring MVP contender Paul Goldschmidt, power-hitting third baseman Jake Lamb, and the red-hot J.D. Martinez, who has clubbed a ridiculous 29 home runs in 61 games since coming to Arizona in a deadline day deal. The rotation has been arguably the best in the league, thanks to Zack Greinke’s return to form, Robbie Ray’s breakout and the emergence of Zack Godley. And the bullpen has been incredibly dependable. Fernando Rodney will be good for at least one heart-stopping appearance this postseason, but should the D-Backs win the wild-card game, they have a tremendous relief option in the form of Archie Bradley, who could be an Andrew Miller-style weapon in the late innings. And for what it’s worth, Arizona had a winning record (11–8) against the Dodgers, who await if the Diamondbacks survive the Rockies.