The Arizona Diamondbacks aren’t the favorites to represent the National League in the 2024 World Series. They aren’t even the favorites to win their own division.
The D-Backs still possess one of the deepest and most talented rosters in baseball. The casual fan might not be able to name more than a couple Arizona players — if any — beyond perhaps reigning NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll. Despite the lack of household names, the Diamondbacks are not a team to be counted out.
Case in point: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. might not be the most talented player on the D-backs’ 26-man roster, but he was first among them Monday when he was chosen National League Player of the Week.
In four games starting Thursday, Gurriel hit .471 (8-for-17) with three home runs, 10 RBI, two doubles, two walks, six runs scored, a stolen base and a 1.118 slugging percentage.
A native of Cuba, Gurriel led the majors in RBI and total bases (19); tied for the MLB lead in home runs and extra-base hits; and finished second among National League batters in batting average, slugging and OPS (1.644).
Gurriel, a 2023 All-Star, hit a home run in each of Arizona’s first three games, becoming the first player in franchise history to homer in each of his first three games to start the season. Across MLB, he’s the first player to homer in his first three games of the season since Danny Jansen of the Blue Jays hit a home run in each of his first three games in 2022.
Zac BonDurant/Getty Images
Gurriel also helped the Diamondbacks score a single-inning franchise-record 14 runs in the third inning on Opening Day, driving home three runs in the frame on a pair of singles. The outfielder finished his day with a team-high five RBI after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning, setting a franchise record for the most RBI on Opening Day.
The Diamondbacks’ front office had a quietly outstanding offseason as they sought to capitalize on the momentum from their first World Series appearance since 2001.
Arizona jumped the market to sign free agent Eduardo Rodriguez to a 4-year, $80 million contract with an option for a fifth year. They were far more patient in waiting to sign fellow left-handed starter Jordan Montgomery to a one-year, $25 million contract that did not become official until Friday.
Re-signing Gurriel was the quietest of the D-backs’ offseason moves, but they were able to lock him in for another three years at $42 million with an option for a fourth year.
It’s only four games, but the early returns on that investment are looking good.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.