Paul Sewald Talks D-backs Mindset for 2024

Arizona's closer discussed the importance of the right mentality in the upcoming season.

As the D-backs pitchers and catchers report to Salt River Fields today, so begins the journey of another 162-game season, with all the highs and hardships that may come from the quest to win a World Series.

Veteran reliever and D-backs closer Paul Sewald caught up with the media to share his belief in the importance of having the right mindset as a unit, especially coming off of Arizona's powerful 2023 run.

Despite the dramatic finish to the D-backs' season, the right-hander cited the need to envision it as simply the next step in the journey, rather than dwelling on the prior accomplishment. 

"This team got off to an incredible start, was leading the National League on July 1st. They didn't go in to that thinking 'hey, we need three more wins to win a World Series,' that wasn't the goal. The goal was to leave camp healthy with the best 26-man roster possible, and that should be our goal again this year."

"Just getting better every single day, so that we can reach our potential as often as possible for the next 162 to give us a chance to play in October is all that anybody should focus on," Sewald said.

However, acknowledging the positive growth that came from a historic run such as last year is also beneficial. The veteran noted the motivating factors and self-confidence gained from taking down National League juggernauts and competing with the best of the best in the postseason.

"I think a lot of people grew up, I think a lot of people realized that we can play with the teams that, maybe when they left camp last year didn't really think that it was possible to beat some of those guys. So I think a lot of us just feel like 'hey, this team, we just have to reach our potential in October to give us a chance.'"

The D-backs took down the Los Angeles Dodgers in a sweep of the NLDS, a prime example of Arizona reaching their potential in the biggest moment, against an opponent that may have seemed unbeatable at the time. Although the Dodgers are primed for an incredible season after a historic off-season's worth of spending, Sewald still emphasized Arizona's ability to do it again.

"Obviously, we showed that it doesn't really matter if you win 110 games, you have to win the last few. Our team is good enough to beat [the Dodgers], even if they’re at their best, and that's how we should feel. But we are not going to worry about the Dodgers, we’re going to worry about the Diamondbacks."

The closer said the D-backs were able to reach their peak at the right time in 2023, only falling short to the eventual champion Texas Rangers, and that the concept of a team getting hot at the right time is crucial to late success. 

"We’re going to go through peaks and valleys through the season, that's how 162 works. If we have enough peaks to get to the playoffs, and then peak in October, that’s really all that matters."

Performing well at the right time, and taking the opportunities that are given are critical to a successful season. However, the right-hander mentioned that complacency is the killer of such success, and avoidance thereof is the top priority for the D-backs. 

"[We] can’t have any complacency just because we won the National League. There’s quite a few teams, even in our division that took that personally and added this off-season to make sure that they get to where we got to. Nobody here is going to be complacent, that's for sure. We’re going to get to work and we’re going to have to get better if we want to get even close to where we got to last year."

Sewald referenced his time with the Seattle Mariners, who, after breaking a 20-year playoff drought, fell back outside contention in 2023, which was a factor in the decision to trade him to Arizona. 

"They weren’t in a postseason opportunity at that time, so I do not want to be a part of that this year. You want to come out of the gate a little bit fiery, make sure that you give [general manager Mike Hazen] the chance to add at the deadline, rather than say 'Hey, maybe it’s not going to happen for us.'"

The veteran closer said it would be a personal goal of his to try and combat the potential for complacency with the D-backs this year, and want the team to be willing to call out each other to "take a look in the mirror" for the sake of the team's success.

"We have a lot of guys who have been there, and it's going to be up to us to, if we have to, call someone out and say 'Hey, you need to be better than you're being.' I’m here to win the World Series, and I think everybody in here is here to win a World Series, my feelings may be hurt for a second, but if I need to be checked then I need to be checked."

Sewald said that, although he may look back on last year's dominance in the postseason fondly, he's focused on the future, and ready to get to work this Spring Training without thinking too much about what happened last year.

“We’re in spring training now, and last year is totally irrelevant.”

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