The weekend at Chase Field comes with more than just baseball. The Diamondbacks are marking the 25th anniversary of their World Series win against the Yankees, with the biggest celebration set for tomorrow night.
But tonight has its own pull, starting with the return of Greg Schulte to the booth. Schulte, the D-backs’ voice from their first Opening Day in 1998 through the end of the 2023 World Series, is back on the call, and the setup with the TV broadcast is one thing worth watching along the way.
There’s also a familiar face back in the building. Paul Goldschmidt is leading off the night as he returns to Chase Field, and he’s now 1,104 games removed from the last time he wore Sedona Red, counting the postseason. He should still get a strong reception.
The lineups also set the stage for the matchup itself. For the Yankees, Paul Goldschmidt is at first, Cody Bellinger is in left, Heliot Ramos is in right, Ben Rice is the DH, Amed Rosario is at third, Spencer Jones is in center, George Lombard is at short, Austin Wells is behind the plate, Anthony Volpe is at second, and Gerrit Cole is on the mound.
The Diamondbacks counter with Lars Nootbaar in left, Ketel Marte at second, Gabriel Moreno catching, Geraldo Perdomo at short, Pavin Smith at first, Nolan Arenado at third, Corbin Carroll in right, Jesus Sanchez as the DH, Tim Tawa in center, and E. Rodriguez starting at left-handed pitcher.
Looking back at the 2018 Diamondbacks roster, only a few names still stand out as active major leaguers this season: Ketel Marte, who was the “baby” of that team, Ildemaro Vargas, then a rookie, and a handful of starters in Taijuan Walker, Robbie Ray and Patrick Corbin.
In Other News...
D-Backs Tribute Put One Current Young Arm Right In The Moment
The Diamondbacks weekend tribute to their 2001 World Series champions gave Chase Field a flashback feel, with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling back in the building and introduced as the co-MVPs from that title run. The two pitchers even recreated the trophy raise in the same spot where the celebration happened in 2001, turning a regular-season series against the Yankees into a reminder of the franchises biggest moment.
For the current roster, the event was more than nostalgia. Young reliever Justin Martinez was among the players who spent time with the former champions, and he made it clear how much he valued the chance to be around them and pick up whatever he could. For a club still shaping its next core, those kinds of interactions can matter just as much as the ceremony itself. [Read more 🡒]
Torey Lovullo's Future Just Raised The Stakes For Diamondbacks Fans
Torey Lovullo has made the next stretch of Diamondbacks baseball feel a lot bigger than the standings alone would suggest. The manager acknowledged that his status for the 2027 season likely hinges on whether Arizona reaches the postseason in 2026, a reality that adds weight to every game as the club pushes for a Wild Card spot.
Lovullo is not under contract beyond 2026, and he expects to be let go if the Diamondbacks miss the playoffs again. With a difficult schedule still ahead, the path to October remains narrow enough on its own, but now there is also a looming question about how much patience the organization will have if the chase falls short. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Arenado's Decision Is Giving The Diamondbacks A Real Chance
Nolan Arenados willingness to keep playing through a left intercostal injury and an inflamed thumb has become one of the more notable developments in the Diamondbacks late-season chase. Arizona wanted to put him on the injured list, but Arenado pushed back on that idea and stayed in the lineup, giving the club another veteran bat at a time when every game carries extra weight.
Since then, he has been productive enough to matter in a meaningful way, hitting .321 with a 1.031 OPS over 16 games in September. That kind of stretch does not solve everything, but it has helped keep Arizona within 4.0 games of the NL Wild Card race, and it gives the Diamondbacks a better shot than they seemed to have when the injury first surfaced. [Read more 🡒]