Arizona Diamondbacks 2016 Year in Review

Any way you slice it, 2016 was a disappointing year for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Let’s take a closer look at what went right, what went wrong, and what the future might hold.

Every year there seems to be a team that enters the season with high hopes and ambitions, only to fall spectacularly on its face. By the time autumn rolls around, it’s hard to believe expectations were ever that lofty in the first place. You could make a very compelling argument that the Arizona Diamondbacks were that team in 2016.

The D-Backs were surprise heavyweights in last year’s offseason, making some big moves in a bid to become a genuine competitor in the National League West. The biggest? Signing pitcher Zack Greinke to a blockbuster six-year, $206.5 million contract to lead their rotation. Then they made another splash addition to their staff, dealing number-one draft pick Dansby Swanson to the Braves in exchange for Shelby Miller. They also swung a deal with the Brewers for infielder Jean Segura.

Suddenly, the D-Backs looked like they had themselves an imposing roster out in the desert. Greinke was one of the undeniable best starters in the game, coming off a year in which he won 19 games with a 1.66 ERA for the Dodgers. Their offense seemed destined to put a lot of runs on the board with perennial MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt along with emerging stars A.J. Pollock and David Peralta.

In a division that appeared somewhat open at the start of spring, Arizona was a trendy pick by many to make some noise in the postseason race. Unfortunately, things headed off the rails pretty much immediately. Injuries to key players and underwhelming performances by new additions added up to one very disappointing picture. The D-Backs went 12-14 during the campaign’s first month, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the year. In fact, the club failed to post an above-.500 record in any individual month this season.

It all really fell apart in July, as the Snakes went an ugly 7-17 during the month and all but buried their chances of salvaging their season. The franchise more or less held the course, however, and you can debate whether that was the correct choice. No one was fired midseason (that came later) and despite some trade buzz swirling around prominent players, none of the major pieces were dealt.

Everything added up to a 69-93 record, 10 games worse than a year ago and good for just fourth place in the NL West. The D-Backs will have a multitude of questions to answer this offseason, starting from the very top of the front office hierarchy. Let’s take a closer look at what went right for Arizona this year, what went wrong, and where they will go from here.

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