The Arizona Diamondbacks are among many teams battling for a wild card spot in the National League.
The Arizona Diamondbacks now find themselves on the outside looking in on the playoff picture following Thursday's loss to the San Francisco Giants.
It was the first game of the four-game series over the weekend, and the Dbacks' offense struggled as they lost 6-1, despite the teams being separated by only one hit.
Not only is the Arizona loss disappointing because the Giants are one of the worst teams in the league by record, but it also currently knocks them out of the final wild card spot in the National League.
With the loss, the Diamondbacks' division rival, the San Diego Padres, now slide into the third wild card spot with a 1.5-game lead.
Although there is still a month left in the season, a fair question to ask is whether Arizona has blown their postseason chances.
While the technical answer is no, the Diamondbacks shouldn't tread lightly because they need to play every game like it's their last chance.
Especially this weekend, when many would believe they have it 'easy,' with their opponents being the Giants and the Padres' opponent being the Tampa Bay Rays, who are atop the American League.
However, if Arizona doesn't use Thursday's one-sided loss as a wake-up call, it could spell bad news for their return to the postseason.
Even though San Francisco is still a professional team in their own right, much like any other team in the league, if you're the Diamondbacks, you need some extra momentum to win the series, as it could provide crucial separation as the regular season comes to a close.
Luckily for the Diamondbacks, it was only the first game of the series, and they still essentially control their own destiny if they win the next three games over the next few days, provided the Padres drop the series to Tampa Bay.
This current positioning for the final NL Wild Card spot could make the final regular-season series between the Diamondbacks and Padres very interesting, as they are each other's final opponents of the season, in what could be a win-or-go-home scenario right before October.
Aside from the results, Arizona has dealt with off-field issues that have reshaped the current roster, including moving on from Zack Littell after the veteran struggled during a brief stint with the team.
The team is also dealing with the unavailability of their star second baseman, Ketel Marte, following an extended absence, but the Diamondbacks are hopeful he will return soon.
