With five games left to play, the Diamondbacks are in eerily similar position to where they were a year ago.

-Jesse Friedman

"It's almost identical": How Diamondbacks' 2023 postseason chase is helping them in 2024

After back-to-back losses to the Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants, the Diamondbacks find themselves in familiar position.

With just under a week remaining in the regular season, they are in good — but not great — position to make the playoffs.

Last year, entering their Tuesday game in the final week of the season, they were tied with the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card spot. They had a one-game lead on the Miami Marlins, who were on the outside looking in.

This year, the Diamondbacks occupy the third wild card spot; they are half a game behind the New York Mets for the second wild card spot, and they have a 1 1/2 game lead over the Atlanta Braves.

Last year at this point, their Fangraphs playoff odds were 78.2 percent. This year, they are 72.9 percent.

"It's almost identical," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "I think we were a couple games up. We got a chance to clinch the last day [against the Chicago White Sox]. The teams that we were playing against and racing against were stubborn, and it didn't happen until the Saturday before the end of the season."

Now, as the team finds itself in such a similar position, Lovullo said that he and his team can draw on that experience.

"I've gone back to that several times," Lovullo said, "and the players probably have, too. Look, we're all anxious. We're all curious about what's going to happen day by day. But at the end of it, all we can control is what we're doing in our space.

"We want everybody to go out and be the best version of themselves, and that's my promise to the players, the front office, this organization; that I'm going to give them everything I can in my space that I can control. And we need to collectively do that.

"That's what I learned from last year. You can't worry about scenario A, scenario B, scenario C. You've got to worry about right now and take care of right now."

With All-Star right-hander Logan Webb on the mound on Tuesday, the Diamondbacks have their work cut out for them.

They do, however, control their own destiny. Winning four of their final five games would guarantee them a playoff spot regardless of what their competitors do. If they win three games or fewer, there are numerous possible outcomes (which are outlined in my end-of-season primer that was published earlier today).

While Lovullo acknowledges the intensity of this time of year, he said that his team does not look tense.

"Everybody's in that clubhouse laughing, having a good time, taking care of what they got to take care of in the training room," Lovullo said. "There's more talk about fantasy football and how good Josh Allen was last night.

"That's typical stuff. I'm excited by that, and I pay attention to those things. I don't want anybody to change."

Ironically, last year's Diamondbacks finished the season just 2-4, including four straight losses to end the season. Nonetheless, on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023 — one day before the end of the season — there was a massive pool party to celebrate the team's first postseason berth in six years.

Perhaps a similar ending could be in store later this week.

TRENDING NOW

Diamondbacks crunch time primer: Clinching scenarios, teams to root for, key questions Everything you need to know entering the Diamondbacks' final five games of the regular season. Read article

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I walk every day in the concourse just about. It's a way for me to just get flushed and just get ready for my day. As you walk at home in the morning, I'll come here and walk around some more. It's the time of year where we got to have a healthy mind. A fresh mind gives me a chance to connect with some of the vendors, and say some hellos. I believe in that. I make some quick pit stops over into the little Hall of Fame area and put my phone down and watch the video that's up there. Just always good vibes, good reminders."   Torey Lovullo on his habit of walking the Chase Field concourse every day before games GEAR UP ​