Diamondbacks’ playoff chances take big hit after loss to Dodgers

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ postseason dreams are hanging by a thread after a devastating sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The series had everything—questionable calls, dominant pitching, and, well, a sense of dread for Arizona fans. With the latest 8-0 loss on Thursday, the Diamondbacks’ bats just vanished, and now their playoff hopes look shaky at best.

Dodgers Clinch, Diamondbacks Stumble

The Dodgers, who seem to win the division every year, just locked up their 12th title in 13 years with this sweep. Thursday’s game was the exclamation point, and really, Los Angeles just looked deeper and more dangerous at every turn.

Across three games, Arizona managed a single run off Dodgers’ starters. That’s about as rough as it gets at this stage of the season.

For the Diamondbacks, this series was huge. They entered Wednesday right in the Wild Card mix, but a controversial bunt call in the 10th inning killed a prime chance to steal a win and maybe jump ahead in the standings.

The Costly Call and Pitching Gamble

Manager Torey Lovullo found himself in the spotlight for two decisions that just didn’t work out. First, he decided to save ace Zac Gallen for Friday’s game against the Padres, skipping him for the Dodgers finale.

That left Thursday as a bullpen game, and it unraveled fast when Nabil Crismatt gave up seven runs in just three innings. Arizona’s pitching plan put them behind from the start, which is not what you want in must-win territory.

Meanwhile, Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto completely shut down the Diamondbacks lineup. Arizona never really had a shot at the plate.

The Wild Card Picture Tightens

Now sitting at 80-79, Arizona is two games back of the last Wild Card spot. The elimination number is down to two, which means any mix of Diamondbacks losses and wins by the Reds or Mets could end their season by Friday.

Race Against the Reds, Mets, and Time

The Cincinnati Reds just beat the Pirates and have a two-game cushion over Arizona, thanks to their tiebreaker. The Mets are also a problem—they play the Cubs before facing the Marlins, so things could get even messier for Arizona.

It’s basically a three-team race, and Arizona is chasing. Momentum? Not really on their side. The schedule’s unforgiving, and there’s no room for mistakes.

The Padres Factor

Ironically, Arizona’s last shot might come from their next opponent—the San Diego Padres. Padres manager Mike Schildt has hinted he could rest his starters since they’ve already clinched the postseason.

That might open a slim window for the Diamondbacks to grab the wins they need.

Must-Win Scenario

Arizona probably needs to sweep the Padres to stay alive. That’s a big ask, even if San Diego isn’t playing its regulars.

The Diamondbacks have to get their offense going, sort out the pitching, and somehow shake off the sting from what just happened in L.A. Not impossible, but it’s going to take something special.

The Road Ahead

For the Arizona Diamondbacks, the equation is simple but also kind of daunting:

• Win every remaining game against the Padres.
• Hope the Reds and Mets stumble in their series.
• Pray the controversial moments from last week don’t come back to haunt them with so little baseball left.

The next three days will define this season. Just a week ago, a Wild Card spot felt within reach.

Now? Honestly, it feels like a distant dream. Fans, players, and the whole franchise are bracing for a tense final stretch.

Every pitch, every at-bat—they all might decide if October brings glory or if everyone’s left stewing in what-ifs all winter.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Diamondbacks press wrong buttons vs. Dodgers, face long odds