The Arizona Diamondbacks are compelled to make the most of September if they want to make the playoffs.
It is Sept. 1, which means that the final month of the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season is underway. For a team like the Arizona Diamondbacks, this is the most important month yet.
The Diamondbacks concluded August with consecutive losses to the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies, and while that could have done more damage, Arizona still finds itself within range of one of the three Wild Card spots in the National League.
Moreover, while the Diamondbacks are still trying to climb out of fourth place in those standings, they made progress in others.
Power-ranking improvement
In The Athletic's weekly power rankings, Arizona moved up slightly from 12 to 10. The writers also assessed it with a Trade Deadline report card grade nearly a month after the Deadline passed, and the Diamondbacks earned a B-minus.
That is because Arizona's lone Deadline acquisition of Lars Nootbaar has been helpful for the offense, but The Athletic acknowledged that it has not offset the dramatic absence of Ketel Marte. Marte made his return to the Diamondbacks’ lineup on Monday after missing more than two weeks due to personal reasons and a stint on the 10-day Injured List due to inflammation in his knee.
While the Diamondbacks did move up in The Athletic’s power rankings, it does not do anything for them in terms of their bid for the postseason. Instead, they will have to overcome their division rival, the San Diego Padres.
Neck and neck
Despite their recent losses to end August, Arizona, which is 73-66, is still just a half-game behind San Diego for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. Mainly, this is because of the Padres’ recent skid.
Over the last week, San Diego has gone 2-5, which has helped keep the Diamondbacks within range. The strength of schedule for both clubs down the stretch is relatively similar, and they will conclude the season with a three-game series against each other that will have a chance of deciding who plays in October and who gets left behind.
Though nearly four weeks stand between the Diamondbacks visiting the Padres, the magnitude of the series is worth talking about now. Can Arizona get Marte refocused and ready to go, as a lot of the organization’s success depends on how present and productive he is?
Can the Diamondbacks avoid bad losses against lesser opponents? With slates against the Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies coming up, they will face must-win situations.
Maybe the Diamondbacks will go on a tear, especially with Marte back in the fold, or maybe the struggles of San Diego will help Arizona enough to put it back in the top three of the NL Wild Card standings. The Diamondbacks should be banking on the former. That way, when it is time to travel to Petco Park, the outcome of the season will not hinge on three games.
