The Arizona Diamondbacks' 2026 season did not go as planned, and now they have to figure out the next steps. 

The Diamondbacks missed the playoffs for the third year in a row and have struggled to be as competitive as they were when they won the National League in 2023. Talent is still in the building, but Arizona needs more than that to get back to the playoffs.

One such player who is a driving force of production for the Diamondbacks is right fielder Corbin Carroll.

Carroll, 26, was one of two Diamondbacks to get an All-Star nod this season as he joined left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez in receiving the honor.

Carroll was deserving of his All-Star recognition, which marked the third time in his five-year career that he had earned it. However, he was not quite as productive as he was in 2025.

Carroll appeared in 156 games for the Diamondbacks and logged a .239 batting average, a .328 on-base percentage, a .467 slugging percentage and a .795 OPS with 22 home runs and 78 RBIs.

Those numbers are certainly reflective of an All-Star-caliber player, but in 2025, Carroll was able to post a .259 batting average, a .343 on-base percentage, a .541 slugging percentage, and an .884 OPS with 31 home runs in 13 fewer games. 

This is not meant to be an indictment of Carroll, who was clearly an important piece of the Diamondbacks this season. Without his offensive production and big moments, the team certainly would have struggled much more than it did. 

That is especially true because the Diamondbacks' offense was often what was carrying them to wins because of the struggles of the pitching staff.

Still, it is important to recognize his decline, albeit not drastic. Carroll's 31 home runs and .884 OPS were both career highs in 2025, and it was still not enough to help Arizona reach the playoffs. In fact, the Diamondbacks posted a losing record of 80-82, so when his numbers dipped more this season, it is easy to see how it hurt his team.

Carroll surged at the beginning of the season. In April, he posted a .300 batting average, a .411 on-base percentage, a .563 slugging percentage and a .974 OPS with three home runs and 11 RBIs across 23 games and 80 at-bats. 

His numbers wavered from that point forward, and by September, when the Diamondbacks needed him the most, Carroll struggled at the plate.

Over 21 games in September and 78 at-bats, Carroll could only muster a .205 batting average, a .235 on-base percentage, a .410 slugging percentage and a .645 OPS. He almost had as many strikeouts (24) as hits (25) and looked like a shell of himself. 

Carroll has proven that he is one of the Diamondbacks' best players, but for them to be a playoff team once again, he will have to consistently come through in critical moments.