👋 GOOD MORNING - Happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good start.

Don’t forget to buy your tickets for our Chase Field pool party on July 3! I know I’m going to take defending the pool seriously, and I hope you join us to kick off the 4th of July with a bang! Tickets are limited, and PHNX Diehards get a cheaper rate, so make sure you snag them today.

On to the show!

Diamondbacks Continue to Tread Water in Latest Power Rankings

The pundits all seem to agree — the Diamondbacks belong in the top half of the league.

Barely.

The D-backs continued their stretch of 13 consecutive games against the NL West yesterday, winning 9-5 in the first game of a three-game series. Arizona is 26-22 overall and 7-4 in the division, and has hovered right around the .500 mark all season.

That said, yesterday’s win brought the D-backs to within three games of the first-place Dodgers.

The team was 22-26 at the same time last season, while working through many of the same issues, led by its inconsistent pitching. It is a year-over-year improvement, at least.

Starting Pitching Inconsistency Drives Ranking Way Down

The clear differentiator here is pitching. Heading into Monday’s showdown against the Dodgers, Diamondbacks starters ranked 22nd overall with a 4.30 ERA and 19th with a 1.31 WHIP, while opposing hitters have averaged .245 against them, which is the 16th-best mark in the league.

For what it’s worth, Arizona starters have whiffed 252 batters — the fifth-highest mark in the league.

On the flip side, the offense has been humming along at a healthy clip throughout the first quarter of the season, as the D-backs rank eighth in batting average (.255), and fifth in both RBI (236) and home runs (64).

Here’s how seven major publications ranked Arizona in their most recent set of power rankings:

• Will Leitch, MLB.com: 12th

• Matt Snyder, CBS Sports: 12th

• D.J. Short, NBC Sports: 16th

• Joel Reuter, Bleacher Report: 12th

• Gabe Lacques, USA Today: 14th

• Alden Gonzalez, ESPN: 11th

• Julian Catalfo, The Score: 12th

The pretty-darn-close-to-unanimous list highlights how the team is viewed on the national stage. It’s talented and dangerous, but lacks the consistency needed on the mound to present a true threat to the opposition.

That’s only amplified in October, if they’re lucky enough to be playing then.

Here’s hoping rookie Jordan Lawlar can get going, because he is capable of giving the Diamondbacks another threat on offense. Lawlar torched the minors before getting called up to the bigs last week, but is 0-for-8 with a walk and five strikeouts in three games since joining Arizona.

Joel Reuter’s Take: With a 14-15 record against teams with a winning record and a modest plus-three run differential overall, the D-backs are the best fourth-place team in baseball, but there is potential for them to be a legitimate title contender. They should get Justin Martínez back from the injured list at some point this week, which will give the bullpen a much-needed anchor.

Take a Deeper Dive: David takes a fun look at Geraldo Perdomo’s now-infamous “frog man” interview. The club is definitely still having fun!

Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley

KD For Paul George?: The general consensus seems to be that the Suns will trade Kevin Durant this offseason, and the 76ers might be buyers. Check out what Stephen and Erik had to say on the subject.

It’s a Little Drafty: Make sure to check out the NBA Diehard Draft Guide — Led by ALLCITY draft analysts Derek Bodner of PHLY and Will Gottlieb of CHGO, this guide is your one-stop-shop as teams across the league gear up to reshape their rosters

Note the Diehard draft guide is best viewed on desktop or tablet!

Heartbreaker: The ASU women’s golf team missed the match play cut by one stroke at the NCAA Tournament after Virginia moved up two spots to claim the eighth-and-final spot on the leaderboard. The Sun Devils were a mere inches away from forcing a playoff, and have nothing to hang their heads about following a fantastic showing.

Surprise!: The Big 12 Conference announced on Monday that Surprise Stadium will act as the new home for the Big 12 Tournament beginning next year after spending the previous four seasons at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

He’s no Poser: Wildcats catcher Adonys Guzman was named one of 13 semifinalists for the 2025 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, the first time UA has had a semifinalist since the 2021 season. The award has been presented annually since 2000, and was previously known as the Johnny Bench Award until it was renamed in 2019. Congrats, Adonys!

Heck of a Way to Start: Wildcats basketball announced yesterday it will kick off its 2025-26 season against the national champion Florida Gators at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as part of the Hall of Fame series. The game will be televised on TNT, though the exact date and time have not yet been set.

Best Season Incoming?: If you haven’t checked out the latest PHNX Cardinals pod yet, it’s must-see TV. Hear from Johnny, Bo and Damon as they recap Kyler Murray’s celebrity softball game, where they caught up with head coach Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray’s father, Kevin. They also look at the progress wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. has made this offseason, and if looks are any indication, he may be in for one heck of a sophomore season.

🧢 Tip of the Hat by Branded Bills

Goals.