Established in 1998, it didn't take the Arizona Diamondbacks long to prove themselves to the baseball world. They made the playoffs in 1999 and then again in 2001, when the brilliance of Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and Luis Gonzalez let them past the mighty New York Yankees and to the ultimate World Series triumph. Since then the Diamondbacks have been back to the NLCS just once, where they were swept in 2007.
In their short history Arizona have a near .500 record and have 5 NL West division titles to go along with that shiny World Series trophy. Can you add to their legacy in MLB The Show 19?
*All stats correct at time of writing
Team Rating
MLB The Show 19 does not provide a team OVR like other games but instead gives each team a ranking within the league. This is useful as it shows you clearly just where a team sits within MLB, but it can be a frustration that you can’t see any gulf in class between the 5th and 6th ranked teams.
The Arizona Diamondbacks come into Franchise Mode ranked 22nd. Their strength lies in their 6th ranked speed and 15th ranked pitching. Their weakness lies at the plate though. Their contact is ranked just 26th and 20th ranked power, while their defense is no better, coming in at 21st.
Financially the Diamondbacks are in a solid enough place. Their $139 million budget should be enough to retain key players and round out the roster if you are sensible and cautious with your signings. Which players on the Diamondbacks roster should you be looking to build around?
Zack Greinke, Starting Pitcher (88 OVR)
Age: 35
Throws/Bats: R/R
Contract: 3 years/$103.2 million
Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Changeup, Slider, Curveball, 2-Seam Fastball
Best Stats: Fielding (95), Arm Accuracy (92), Stamina (90), Break (87), BB/9 (80), Clutch (72), Control (70)
Zack Greinke was a first-round pick for the Kansas City Royals in 2002 and got his debut with them in 2004, making 24 starts with a 3.97 ERA and 100 strikeouts. It took Greinke a while to find his feet in the Majors, but by 2009 he was an All-Star and a Cy Young winner, pitching 33 starts with a 2.16 ERA and 242 strikeouts in 202.1 innings. Greinke remained an elite arm and made stops at Milwaukee and LA before arriving in Arizona in 2016. In 2018 he was yet again an All-Star, pitching 33 innings with a 3.21 ERA.
In The Show 19 Greinke fields his position excellently (fielding 95, arm accuracy 92) and has superb stamina (90). He still has very good break (87) which will help create strikes with his slider and curveball, and his control (70) is good too. His velocity (62) is down but he can still perform well in the clutch (72).
David Peralta, Left Field (87 OVR)
Age: 31
Throws/Bats: L/L
Contract: 1 year/$7 million + 1 year arbitration
Secondary Position: CF, RF
Hitter Tendency: Extreme Pull
Best Stats: Durability (89), Contact vs R (89), Clutch (77), Fielding (70), Reaction (69), Vision (69)
David Peralta signed as an international free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004 as a pitcher, but after numerous injuries and shoulder issues he was released in 2009. After playing as an outfielder in independent ball he was signed by the Diamondbacks in 2013 and got his MLB debut in 2014, playing 88 games with a .286 average and 8 homers. In 2018 Peralta hit 30 bombs with a .293 average.
In The Show 19 Peralta is very durable (89) and has one elite contact skill against righties (89). He is solid in the field (fielding 70, reaction 69) and has nice ability in the clutch (77) as well as ok power (68/59). Peralta also brings nice speed (65) to the team and has ok vision (69) and discipline (56) at the plate.
Robbie Ray, Starting Pitcher (83 OVR)
Age: 27
Throws/Bats: L/L
Contract: 1 year/$4 million + 1 year arbitration
Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Slider, Curveball, 2-Seam Fastball
Best Stats: K/9 (92), Break (88), Stamina (80), H/9 (74), Velocity (72), Clutch (70)
Robbie Ray was a 12th-round pick for the Washington Nationals in 2010 but was traded to the Detroit Tigers before he could debut for them. He made his MLB debut with Detroit in 2014, pitching just 28.2 innings and was traded to Arizona in December. In 2015 Ray showed his quality, making 23 starts with a 3.52 ERA and he has been a part of the Diamondbacks rotation ever since.
In The Show Ray is a strikeout machine (92) with very good break (88) and ok stamina (80). Ray's velocity (72) is not superb but it is good enough, much like his control (64) and clutch ability (70). Ray does struggle with walks (44) and is not a great fielder (50).
Arizona Diamondbacks MLB Roster
There can be fluctuations in player OVR from save to save in The Show 19, but even when there is the underlying stats for the player are consistent. We will start our look at the Diamondbacks MLB roster with the position players and then move on to the pitchers.
Player | OVR | Age | Position | Bat Hand | Best Contact | Best Power | Fielding | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
David Peralta | 87 | 31 | LF | L | 89 (R) | 68 (R) | 70 | 65 |
Eduardo Escobar | 81 | 30 | 3B | S | 64 (R) | 60 (R) | 68 | 61 |
Wilmer Flores | 79 | 27 | 2B | R | 75 (L) | 73 (L) | 64 | 28 |
Alex Avila | 78 | 32 | C | L | 46 (R/L) | 64 (R) | 75 | 2 |
Jake Lamb | 78 | 28 | 3B | L | 70 (R) | 76 (R) | 70 | 47 |
Nick Ahmed | 76 | 29 | SS | R | 67 (L) | 57 (L) | 84 | 67 |
Ketel Marte | 75 | 25 | CF | S | 78 (L) | 56 (L) | 71 | 75 |
Jarrod Dyson | 74 | 34 | CF | L | 43 (R) | 35 (R) | 93 | 79 |
Steven Souza Jr | 73 | 29 | RF | R | 58 (L) | 68 (R) | 63 | 69 |
John Ryan Murphy | 70 | 27 | C | R | 42 (L) | 64 (L) | 74 | 54 |
Player | OVR | Age | Position | Throw Hand | Stamina | Control | Velocity | Break |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zack Greinke | 88 | 35 | SP | R | 90 | 70 | 62 | 87 |
Robbie Ray | 83 | 27 | SP | L | 80 | 64 | 72 | 88 |
Andrew Chafin | 81 | 28 | RP | L | 21 | 54 | 84 | 99 |
Archie Bradley | 79 | 26 | CP | R | 34 | 62 | 90 | 78 |
Yoshihisa Hirano | 79 | 35 | RP | R | 24 | 62 | 67 | 91 |
Greg Holland | 78 | 33 | RP | R | 24 | 65 | 47 | 97 |
Zack Godley | 78 | 28 | SP | R | 71 | 52 | 66 | 92 |
Taijuan Walker | 76 | 26 | SP | R | 82 | 55 | 76 | 72 |
Luke Weaver | 73 | 25 | SP | R | 68 | 57 | 74 | 59 |
Matt Andriese | 73 | 29 | RP | R | 57 | 69 | 68 | 55 |
The Diamondbacks MLB roster is made up of 13 position players and 12 pitchers. That's your 8-man starting lineup and a 5-man bench along with your 5-man starting rotation and a 7-man bullpen, including the closer.
The majority of the Diamondbacks offense will come from David Peralta (contact R 89, power R 68), Jake Lamb (power R 76, contact R 70), and Wilmer Flores (contact L 75, power L 73). They will be supported by Ketel Marte (vision 79, contact L 78), Eduardo Escobar (vision 67, contact R 64), and Nick Ahmed (vision 67, contact L 67). However, there isn't much offensive production in this roster at the moment, so don't go thinking you will be mashing home runs every game.
With the glove Jarrod Dyson (fielding 93, reaction 92) is a legitimate star. Nick Ahmed (fielding 84, reaction 779) is also excellent while Caleb Joseph (fielding 76, blocking 72) and Alex Avila (blocking 77, arm accuracy 77) are quality catcher options.
The Diamondbacks starting rotation is solid. Zack Greinke (stamina 90, break 87) and Robbie Ray (K/9 92, break 88) are a very nice 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation, and Zack Godley (break 92, stamina 71) is a very nice option at #3. Taijuan Walker (stamina 82, velocity 76) is in the #4 spot and is also a nice pitching option and is young enough to improve, as is Luke Weaver (velocity 74, stamina 68) who sits in the final rotation spot.
The bullpen is anchored by setup man Andrew Chafin (break 99, velocity 84) and closer Archie Bradley (velocity 90, break 78). Behind them things aren't too great. Greg Holland is solid (break 97, H/9 83) but struggles with control and Yoshihisa Hirano (break 91, H/9 86) lacks good velocity. Matt Andriese (control 69, velocity 68) and Marc Rzepczynski (break 87, velocity 77) are more useful in losing situations and Matt Koch (break 71, stamina 69) is the long man in the bullpen.
Lineups
The Show 19 has 4 lineups for you to set. These are against right-handed starters with and without the DH and against left-handed starters with and without the DH. As the Diamondbacks are in the National League most of their games will be played without the DH.
Against righties without the DH The Show 19 puts CF Ketel Marte in the leadoff spot followed by SS Eduardo Escobar and LF David Peralta. 3B Jake Lamb hits #4 with 2B Wilmer Flores hitting #5. RF Steven Souza Jr hits #6 followed by 1B Christian Walker and C Alex Avila. With the DH Nick Ahmed plays SS and hits #9 while Escobar moves to the DH spot.
Against lefties without the DH Marte, Escobar, and Peralta stay at the top of the order, but with Escobar playing 3B. Flores hits #4 with Souza next followed by Ahmed at SS, Walker, and Avila. With the DH Tim Locastro leads off in the DH spot, with Marte hitting #2 and Escobar hitting #5.
These lineups are solid, but we can certainly improve on them.
Jarrod Dyson is such a good fielder we should try to get him on the field, and thankfully there is enough positional flexibility on the roster to do that. We have moved Wilmer Flores to 1B and Ketel Marte to 2B, this opens up a spot in CF for Dyson.
Against righties we have moved David Peralta to leadoff with his superb contact and solid speed. Eduardo Escobar stays at #2 while Jake Lamb and Steven Souza Jr move to #3 & #4. Ketel Marte is now at #5 with Wilmer Flores next, followed by Alex Avila and finally Jarrod Dyson. With the DH Christian Walker will come back into the lineup at #8.
Against lefties Marte leads off followed by Flores and Peralta along with Steven Souza at #4. Alex Avila hits #5 followed by Nick Ahmed, Escobar, and Dyson. With the DH Walker comes in and hits #8 again.
Farm System
MLB The Show 19 can have a frustrating farm system. The OVR fluctuations affect Minor League players too, and also their potential which greatly affects how they will develop. Some real life prospects are also missing from the game. There are still some useful prospects in the Diamondbacks farm system though.
Eric Landry, Center Field (69 OVR)
Age: 24
Potential: C
Throws/Bats: R/R
Secondary Position: LF, RF
Hitter Tendency: Pull Hitter
Best Stats: Speed (98), Stealing (93), Durability (75), Vision (74), Contact vs L (70), Contact vs R (67)
The Diamondbacks could use more offense, and one player that could provide that is Eric Landry. He already has solid contact against both righties and lefties (67/70) though he lacks power (34/34). He does have elite speed (98) and stealing (93) which will help create more runs, however he is awful in the field (36).
Chad Chen, Closing Pitcher (68 OVR)
Age: 18
Potential: A
Throws/Bats: R/R
Pitches: 4-Seam Fastball, Curveball, 2-Seam Fastball
Best Stats: Velocity (89), Arm Strength (79), H/9 (73), K/9 (72), Arm Accuracy (67), Clutch (65), Break (61)
The Diamondbacks bullpen needs some help, and while he is still very young Chad Chen looks like he'll be the best bet to add talent to the bullpen. Chen has terrific velocity (89) already and nice stamina (37) for a closer. He is good in the clutch (65) but does lack impactful break (61) and control (49). That will improve with time though as he matures in the Minors.
Stefan Fernandez, First Base (59 OVR)
Age: 19
Potential: D
Throws/Bats: L/S
Secondary Position: RF
Hitter Tendency: Opposite
Best Stats: Clutch (72), Durability (71), Contact vs L (69), Contact vs R (65), Discipline (59), Vision (57)
The Diamondbacks traded away superstar first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, leaving a void in the lineup that Christian Walker is trying to fill. Another option could well be Stefan Fernandez. He already has solid contact skills (65/69) and is good in the clutch (72). He doesn't have much power (41/36) or any skill in the field, but as a teenager there is plenty of time to improve.