Diamondbacks Advance Near NL Wild Card With Key Wins Over Phillies Dodgers

The Arizona Diamondbacks are making a strong late-season push for a playoff spot, currently tied for the third National League wild-card position with five games remaining. Despite bullpen struggles, including the recent outright assignment of reliever Jake Woodford to Triple-A, the team has rallied with key performances such as Corbin Carroll's 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, and Eduardo Rodriguez's six scoreless innings in a 9-2 win over the Phillies. The Diamondbacks' bullpen has been inconsistent, often relying on journeymen and young arms, contributing to a high bullpen ERA. Their recent success includes comeback wins against the division-leading Dodgers, who have already clinched a playoff berth but are still fighting for the NL West title. Diamondbacks' manager Torey Lovullo praised the team's resilience and chemistry as they seek their seventh series win in eight tries. With their playoff fate still uncertain, the D-backs need to outperform the Mets and Reds in the final games, as tiebreakers currently favor the Reds.