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The Arizona Diamondbacks continue to fly under the radar across the league, not getting the attention they deserve for a team currently tied for the second wild-card spot.
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Despite Arizona’s success, much of the spotlight around the National League continues to go elsewhere. It’s a familiar position for the Diamondbacks, who were largely overlooked in 2023 before making a surprise run all the way to the World Series.
Even when looking at Arizona’s roster, it’s the big names who receive most of the praise. Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo have deservedly been recognized for the seasons they’re having.
However, one player who has somewhat gotten lost in the shuffle is Nolan Arenado, whose offseason arrival has quietly made a major difference for the Diamondbacks.
Arenado has been right in the thick of Arizona’s playoff push, providing much more than just a veteran presence. He showed that again Monday night, immediately giving the Diamondbacks breathing room with a first-inning grand slam against the Colorado Rockies.
First inning GRAND SLAM Nolan Arenado! pic.twitter.com/cLXrIdvulS
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 11, 2026
It was Arenado’s 18th home run of the season, already surpassing his totals from each of his final two years with the St. Louis Cardinals. Overall, he’s hitting .242/.322/.433 with 58 RBI, a 106 wRC+ and 1.9 fWAR.
While he’s certainly not the MVP-level candidate he was in his prime, Arenado has played an indispensable role in the middle of Arizona’s lineup.
The eight-time All-Star has consistently made pitchers work, putting together longer and more difficult at-bats. His 4.05 pitches per plate appearance ranks 28th among qualified major league hitters, while his 9.1 percent walk rate is his highest since 2019.
At 35-years-old, Arenado has adjusted his game and has become exactly what Arizona needed this season.
He has also helped bridge the gap between stars like Carroll and Marte at the top and the more unproven bats behind him. With players like Tim Tawa and Ryan Waldschmidt still finding their footing, Arenado gives Arizona an experienced hitter who knows how to handle those critical situations in the middle of the order.
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I think a lot of people owe Nolan Arenado an apology.
Everyone was ready to call him washed and gave up on him before the start of the season.
Now he’s become a driving force behind the Diamondbacks’ playoff push. #Dbackspic.twitter.com/DzpWO1sFMD
— Tommy Kelson (@Tommy_Kelson) August 11, 2026
Before the season, plenty of people were ready to give up on Arenado. That’s quite the fall for an eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner who could eventually find his way to Cooperstown.
The Cardinals made that feeling even clearer during the offseason. They agreed to pay $31 million of the remaining $42 million on Arenado’s contract just to send him to Arizona.
To be fair, there wasn’t much reason to believe Arenado had a resurgence left in him. He finished last season with just a .666 OPS and 0.9 fWAR.
But there’s still plenty of value in having a veteran who has experienced just about everything over a long major league career. And at 35 with 1,900 games under his belt, Arenado certainly brings that to Arizona.
After all, there’s a reason contenders continue to value veteran bats who won’t be overwhelmed when the pressure begins to rise.
Look no further than Miguel Rojas with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. With the Dodgers down to their final two outs in Game 7 of the World Series, Rojas delivered a game-tying home run.
That’s not to say Arenado will provide the same heroics if the Diamondbacks make it to October. Nobody can predict that.
But he can continue providing exactly what he has all season: a steady, calming presence in the middle of the lineup that Arizona can fall back on when it matters most.
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This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 11:41 AM.