Nobody expected the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the 2023 National League pennant and set foot in a World Series. At the onset of 2024, nobody expected the D-Backs to return to the Fall Classic. Following the first half of the baseball betting odds season, those gamblers are looking like the smartest folks in the room. Arizona is in the red as the All-Star break approaches. Still, they are theoretically in the National League wild-card race. Arizona is still getting adequate run production. Their problem is a pitching staff that is among the worst in baseball.
2024 Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Break Overview
At the beginning of the All-Star break, the Arizona Diamondbacks had a record of 47-47 and were 3rd in the National League West Division. Offensively, Arizona ranked 7th for runs scored, 9th for batting average, 10th for OPS, 14th for home runs, and 18th for stolen bases. While defensively, Arizona ranked 28th for earned run average, 25th for WHIP, 8th for strikeouts, 15th for quality starts, 2nd for fewest errors, and 27th for bullpen ERA. Arizona was -134 on the moneyline and -327 on the run line.
2024 Arizona Diamondbacks Manager
Since 2017, Torey Lovullo has been the Arizona manager. He has produced two offshore betting playoff campaigns.
2024 Arizona Diamondbacks Key Players
RHP Zac Gallen is the number-one starter for Arizona. Last year, Gallen was 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. So far this season, Gallen is 6-5 with a 3.23 ERA. RHP Paul Sewald is the Arizona closer. Last year, he was 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 34 saves in 39 opportunities.
So far this MLB odds season, Sewald has 13 saves. 2B Ketel Marte produced 94 runs, 26 doubles, nine triples, 25 home runs, and 82 runs batted in with a .276 average and .843 OPSD. So far this season, Marte has 18 home runs, 52 RBI, and a .859 OPS.
Last year, with a record of 84-78, the Arizona Diamondbacks barely made the National League Playoffs as a wild card team. Yet the Diamondbacks went all the way to the World Series. But they ran out of steam against the superior Texas Rangers, losing four games to one. Were the Diamondbacks a flash in the pan, or are they here to stay? That is the question confronting gamblers in 2024.
So far, Arizona is not getting much love on the futures market to win the 2024 World Series. Arizona had a solid offseason, which offered hope for the potential of another D-Backs playoff run. Yet the Diamondbacks have not offered consistency in the first half of 2024.
The Diamondbacks won the National League pennant. However, even they’d admit they did it with an imperfect roster. The rotation was two deep for most of the year, and they hit 30 fewer homers than the average National League team. In turn that helps explain how they were outscored in the regular season.
Accordingly, Arizona wanted to add depth to the starting rotation, as well as more thump to the lineup. Methodically, they did just that. Eduardo Rodriguez was one of the best starters on the market but is on the 60-day IL. Gamblers are asking if the D-backs build off last season’s magical run to the World Series. Last year, they were able to sneak up on teams and did not weigh expectations. This year, that is no longer the case.