Arizona Diamondbacks

Phoenix, Arizona is over 830 miles away from Boulder, Colorado.

But that hasn't stopped Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo from taking plenty of inspiration from the University of Colorado football program and coach Deion Sanders. The charismatic Pro Football Hall of Famer has helped fuel Lovullo's 'us against the world' mentality.

And Lovullo's not letting any sort of disrespect slip. It's all become personal and he has kept "a long list of receipts" of it throughout the process.

Lovullo spoke of Sanders' impact on his squad during a press conference Friday.

Following a sweep of the 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, Lovullo and the Diamondbacks have plenty of reason to puff out their chest as there aren't a lot of people who thought they'd make it this far.

Since Lovullo took over as manager in 2017, Arizona has only made the postseason one other time, which came in his first season in charge. Aside from that, the franchise has endured some difficult years, including a 110-loss season in 2021.

But everything seemed to click into place with the team's young talent and veteran experience working together to lead them to their first NLCS appearance since 2007.

One of the things that Lovullo's squad may have taken personally was the talk that there should be re-seeding following the first round of the playoffs so that the Atlanta Braves wouldn't have to play the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.

Those talks indicated that people believed the Diamondbacks were the lesser of the teams that advanced to the NLDS from the Wild Card series.

"This team has a chip on its shoulder," Lovullo said of those discussions. "They took it personal."

Now, the Diamondbacks and their long list of receipts will head into a matchup against those aforementioned Phillies—who eliminated the Braves—with a chance to advance to the second World Series in their franchise's history.

And the last time Arizona made it there, it won it all.

Zac Gallen's first postseason start didn't get off to the best start, as he needed 32 pitches to get out of the first frame, giving up two runs in the process.

But he settled down from there, throwing five straight scoreless frames that allowed the Arizona Diamondbacks' offense a chance to solve Freddy Peralta. They did so in a monster sixth inning, pushing across four runs in the frame en route to a 5-2 win and series sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card round.

In total, Gallen gave up five hits and three walks on 100 pitches across six innings, striking out four.

And both Diamondbacks fans and MLB pundits were impressed with his strong start and recovery from a brutal first inning:

Just like it did on Tuesday, the bullpen handled it from there, this time pitching three scoreless innings and weathering a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth inning without any damage done.

As for the offense, Alek Thomas opened the scoring for the Diamondbacks in the top of the fifth with a solo shot, halving the deficit:

And then the floodgates opened in the sixth.

A two-run Ketel Marte double gave the Diamondbacks the lead, Tommy Pham scored on a wild pitch later in the inning, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added an RBI single and suddenly the Answerbacks held a three-run lead.

It was just that sort of series for Milwaukee, which jumped out to early leads in both games but couldn't keep Arizona's offense quiet or solve its bullpen. It was an excellent season in Milwaukee, but the Brewers will be extremely disappointed to be swept at home.

And Gallen will be pleased he turned a rough first inning into a quality start that propelled his team to an NLDS matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mike Hazen is reportedly staying with the Arizona Diamondbacks for years to come.

According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the National League West team signed their general manager to a contract extension that runs through the 2028 season with a club option for one more year. He was previously signed through 2024 with a team option for 2025.

Piecoro noted "Hazen's name was connected in reports to the Boston Red Sox when their top baseball operations job became available following the firing of Chaim Bloom," but Diamondbacks fans don't have to worry about that following this move.

The Boston connection made sense, as Hazen is from Massachusetts and spent 12 years with the Red Sox organization prior to becoming Arizona's general manager in October 2016.

However, Piecoro pointed out Arizona president and CEO Derrick Hall "intimated" that the team would not give the Red Sox permission to speak to Hazen regarding the opening. That appears to be the case, as Arizona instead rewarded its general manager with a new contract extension.

He wasn't the only one to receive an extension.

Piecoro reported the Diamondbacks extended the contracts of assistant general managers Amiel Sawdaye and Mike Fitzgerald, who both came to Arizona with Hazen, as well. That provides more stability and continuity in the front office as the NL West team attempts to build on this season's playoff appearance and establish itself as a long-term contender.

Hazen played a part in the drafting of Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas and Brandon Pfaadt, as well as the signing of Merrill Kelly as a free agent. He also helped orchestrate trades for Gabriel Moreno, Zac Gallen, Ketel Marte and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

That is a significant number of contributors for a Diamondbacks squad that went 84-78 this season and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday.

Carroll in particular stands out, as Hazen and the front office rewarded him with an eight-year, $111 million contract extension in March. It was a gamble since the outfielder had played just 32 MLB games at the time, but he was an All-Star this season and may be the face of the franchise for years to come.

This season marked Arizona's second playoff appearance during Hazen's tenure, but the young talent in place and the confirmation that the general manager isn't going anywhere suggests there are more postseason showings to come in the near future.

The Arizona Diamondbacks didn't reach the MLB playoffs on the strength of their power. They finished 22nd in baseball this season with just 166 home runs.

But the long ball won them Game 1 of the Wild Card Round, as Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte and Gabriel Moreno each left the yard in a 6-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Carroll's two-run shot and Marte's solo homer came back-to-back in the top of the third to tie the game, while Moreno gave them the lead in the top of the fourth with a 425-foot blast:

That the Brewers suddenly started mashing homers against Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes made it all the more impressive.

Christian Walker added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth with a double ripped to dead center. And just like that, Arizona found itself one win away from the NLDS.

Brewers fans and pundits alike were loving it:

The Brewers jumped out to an early lead in this one on Carlos Santana's RBI single in the bottom of the first and Tyrone Taylor's two-run jack in the second.

Milwaukee's best chance to salvage Game 1 came in the bottom of the fifth, when it loaded the bases with no outs after three straight singles.

It appeared that Brice Turang was then hit by a pitch, tying the game. But replay overturned the call, Turang struck out and Turner hit into a double play after a fantastic play from Arizona third baseman Evan Longoria.

The Diamondbacks needed just about the entire roster to steal Game 1. Brandon Pfaadt lasted only 2.2 innings, giving up seven hits and a walk while striking out four, but six Arizona relievers held Milwaukee scoreless over the final 6.1 innings, giving up just five hits while striking out seven.

Behind an excellent bullpen performance and a surprising onslaught of power, the Diamondbacks stole Game 1 after trailing by three runs. Game 2 will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN as the Brewers try to save their season.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are in a tight race for a playoff spot in the National League, and they're reportedly injecting a dose of youth into their lineup.

According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, the Diamondbacks are calling up shortstop Jordan Lawlar, the team's top prospect and the No. 10 overall prospect in the majors.

Piecoro reported that Arizona is likely to utilize Lawlar as its third baseman, largely due to a lack of production from the position throughout the 2023 season. The 21-year-old started his first game at third base on Tuesday night.

"Just trying to get him opportunities," Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said Wednesday morning. "He's starting to swing the bat well. He's getting a decent number of at-bats underneath his belt. We wanted to open up an opportunity for him to come up here and impact us if he can."

Lawlar began the year playing Double-A ball before earning a promotion to Triple-A last month. He excelled in 16 games for Triple-A Reno, slashing .358/.438/.612 with fine home runs and 19 RBI.

The sixth overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft, Lawlar quickly proved himself to be skilled beyond his years. In 2022, he put up cumulative hitting numbers of .303/.401/.509 with 16 homers and 62 RBI. He earned a selection to the 2022 All-Star Futures Game alongside Corbin Carroll, who is currently starring for Arizona as one of the frontrunners for NL Rookie of the Year.

At 72-68 entering Thursday's four-game series opener against the Chicago Cubs, the Diamondbacks sit a half-game out of the final wild-card spot in the National League. Arizona is hoping to end a five-year playoff drought, so adding a player of Lawlar's caliber should be beneficial to the team's chances of achieving its goal.

Major League Baseball is reportedly investigating online hate messages directed toward the 13-year-old nephew of Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Tommy Pham, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Pham tweeted the following on Monday:

That comes in the wake of Pham and San Diego Padres fans having a verbal altercation over the weekend, with Pham saying one fan called him a "piece of s--t" and another approached him in front of the team hotel:

Matthew Self of the Arizona Republic reported that a fan was escorted away from his seat after the verbal altercation, per Pham's request, though a Padres spokesperson added that the fan wasn't ejected.

"I'm all about good banter," Pham told reporters. "He stepped out of line and said something that got him kicked out. The fans here, man, I just don't get it. Not even at the field, even away from the field. It's completely disrespectful. I don't know. Maybe they weren't raised right. I was always taught respect until someone doesn't give you it. It is what it is."

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo came to Pham's defense.

"These fans are awful to Tommy," he told reporters. "I hear some terrible things coming from the stands. It's not just the normal, 'You're a bum' stuff. It's deeper. It's ugly, and I've been uncomfortable with it from my vantage point."

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen—who employed Pham for part of the 2023 season before he was traded to Arizona—also spoke up on his behalf:

Pham, 35, spent two seasons with the Padres in 2020-21 before signing with the Cincinnati Reds ahead of the 2022 campaign, and he has not been a popular figure in San Diego since.

It is unclear whether it was San Diego fans who were harassing Pham's nephew on Instagram.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Tommy Pham responded Sunday to a video posted of him on social media which showed him jawing with San Diego Padres before he was due to hit.

Pham also said a fan was heckling him outside of the team hotel:

The fan in question at Petco Park was reportedly escorted away from the area by security at Pham's behest, per Matthew Self of the Arizona Republic, though a Padres spokesperson said the fan wasn't ejected.

"I'm all about good banter," Pham said after the game. "He stepped out of line and said something that got him kicked out. The fans here, man, I just don't get it. Not even at the field, even away from the field. It's completely disrespectful. I don't know. Maybe they weren't raised right. I was always taught respect until someone doesn't give you it. It is what it is."

"Older, white gentleman called me a piece of s--t-," he added. "So, I don't think that's acceptable, especially when you're so close to the on-deck circle. Neither do the security (guards) and, I'm sure, Pete (Peter Seidler) doesn't think it's acceptable, too, the owner of the Padres."

The confrontation didn't affect Pham's play, as he finished 2-of-5 with a homer, a triple, two runs and two RBI in Arizona's 6-4 win, the first game of a doubleheader (Arizona won the second matchup as well, 8-1).

Pham, 35, played for the Padres between the 2020-21 seasons and hasn't been a popular figure in San Diego since signing a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds ahead of the 2022 season.

Last season, he offered to fight then-Padres' slugger Luke Voit after taking issue with Voit's collision at home plate with Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson, which likely didn't further endear him to Padres' fans.

His six home runs against his former team over the past two seasons probably hasn't helped either, though Pham reportedly has been subjected to severe levels of verbal abuse in San Diego that has shocked his manager, Torey Lovullo.

"These fans are awful to Tommy," he told reporters. "I hear some terrible things coming from the stands. It's not just the normal, 'You're a bum' stuff. It's deeper. It's ugly, and I've been uncomfortable with it from my vantage point."

As the 2023 MLB trade deadline quickly approaches, multiple teams have reportedly contacted the Los Angeles Angels to explore the availability of two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani.

According to MLB.com's Jon Morosi, the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks are among those inquiring about the possibility of acquiring Ohtani. Morosi added that the interest from both teams "has been described as due diligence," as both of them "have the young talent base conducive to making a trade."

Ohtani is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, so the Angels run the risk of losing him for nothing if he isn't moved before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Morosi noted that Los Angeles' internal discussions about whether to deal him away "remain ongoing" and team officials "are likely to wait until after" this week's series against the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays before making a decision.

Both the Orioles and the Diamondbacks have been starving for success over the past few years. Baltimore hasn't made the playoffs since 2016, while Arizona hasn't seen the postseason since 2017. Both teams finished fourth in their respective divisions in 2022, but things have turned around this season.

The Orioles lead the AL East with a 61-38 record entering Monday's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. Baltimore has won four of its last five outings, including three against the Tampa Bay Rays in their four-game series this past weekend. The Diamondbacks rank second in the NL West at 54-46 as they enter a series against the St. Louis Cardinals. However, Arizona is riding a four-game losing streak.

While it doesn't appear that a decision is imminent from the Angels, they are sure to continue receiving a significant amount of interest for Ohtani from teams around the league.

The National League West race between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks is going beyond a battle for the top spot in the standings.

Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Diamondbacks have joined their divisional rivals as having made an inquiry to the Chicago White Sox about right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito.

With the White Sox currently sitting in fourth place in the AL Central with 41-57 record, they could be one of the most interesting teams ahead of the trade deadline.

Giolito and Yasmani Grandal can become free agents after this season. Liam Hendriks, Lance Lynn and Kendall Graveman are under contract through 2024, but all three players are over the age of 30 and don't have much value for a team that needs to rebuild.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Keynan Middleton are considered the most likely White Sox players to be traded.

Heyman noted the main core of Dylan Cease, Andrew Vaughn, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert Jr. are the only untouchables on Chicago's roster.

Morosi reported on July 13 the Dodgers were interested in Giolito. He would be a natural fit for them with Dustin May out for the season and Walker Buehler potentially out for the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery done in June 2022.

Clayton Kershaw is currently on the injured list with a sore shoulder, but the hope is he can return in August.

The Diamondbacks are dealing with injuries of their own. Merrill Kelly hasn't pitched in a game since June 24 due to a blood clot in his right leg, but he's making progress after throwing a 75-pitch simulated game last weekend.

Zach Davies was placed on the injured list Wednesday with back inflammation after allowing nine earned runs in 3.2 innings in Tuesday's 16-13 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Despite the injuries to the Dodgers' rotation, they have moved into first place in the NL West with a 55-40 record. They enter play on Friday with a two-game advantage over the Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants.

Giolito has a 3.96 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 116 innings over 20 starts this season.