The Diamondbacks’ season ended the way so many of their recent pushes have felt: right there, right until the last day, and still just short.
Arizona entered Game 162 needing two things to break its way. The Diamondbacks had to beat San Diego, and they needed Philadelphia to lose to Tampa Bay.
Anything else meant the offseason would begin immediately. By the end of the afternoon, that’s exactly where they were headed.
The pressure had been building for a week. Arizona was four games out of the final National League wild-card spot just seven days earlier, then surged back into the race after sweeping the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field and watching the Phillies stumble.
Friday night helped too, with an 11-4 win over the Padres. But Saturday’s 10-7 loss left them unable to catch Philadelphia, even with the Phillies dropping their fourth straight game.
That made Sunday a true must-win, and the Diamondbacks didn’t get the help they needed. Philadelphia started its game against the Rays 30 minutes earlier than scheduled and jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Arizona had even settled in against San Diego.
Michael Soroka got the start for Arizona and allowed three earned runs over 4.2 innings. The lineup also took a hit before the first pitch, when Gabriel Moreno was removed after being listed in the lineup while he continued to deal with a hamstring injury.
In the end, Philadelphia closed the door with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay, avoiding a sweep and sending Arizona home. It also means the Diamondbacks will miss the postseason for a third straight year since their World Series run in 2023.
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