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After clinching a trip to the WNBA Finals on Sunday, Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts is taking in the success the team has accomplished so far this season.
“It’s been an amazing journey so far in the playoffs,” Tibbetts told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday. “We’ve had a hell of a run. It’s not done yet but we are excited to see who our next opponent is.”
In his second year as Mercury head coach, Tibbetts has coached Phoenix to the franchise’s first finals appearance since 2021.
The team saw several additions and departures after his first season, including Diana Taurasi retiring, Brittney Griner leaving in free agency and the team acquiring Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas through trade. The team also added veteran DeWanna Bonner to the roster during the season.
Phoenix’s path to the WNBA Finals as the No. 4 seed wasn’t an easy one, as the Mercury faced tough matchups in the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, the two teams that played each other in last year’s finals.
Tibbetts said those were the two teams that Phoenix had in mind when constructing their team in the offseason.
“When we were rebuilding our team this offseason, those were the two teams we had our sights on,” Tibbetts said.
The Mercury faced plenty of adversity to start the season, with Kahleah Copper missing the first 11 games with left knee surgery. She also missed time in July with a hamstring injury.
Tibbetts credited his best players — Thomas, Sabally and Copper — for overcoming the adversity despite the trio not playing together to start the season.
“We just kind of kept telling ourselves and the group to just stay with it and we’ll figure it out when we get that time,” Tibbetts said. “Give credit to AT, Satou and Kahleah that they’ve just continued to get better with each other and every game.”
The Mercury await their opponent of the Las Vegas Aces-Indiana Fever series as they are tied at 2-2 in the other semifinal series. Game 5 will be in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, which is a best-of-seven series, starts Friday.
Napheesa Collier came prepared for her exit interview on Tuesday, delivering a blistering statement on her thoughts on the current state of the WNBA.
Collier, a senior member of the WNBA Players Association executive council, started her press conference calling out the WNBA and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for a lack of accountability.
The Minnesota Lynx star spoke for more than four minutes about topics including inconsistent officiating, which she feels the commissioner and the rest of the league’s leadership aren’t addressing.
Napheesa Collier’s full statement today, where she challenged Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA with directness and stunning detail we rarely hear from active players. Worth listening to every word. pic.twitter.com/IRTvTc52EA
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) September 30, 2025
“We have the best league in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But we have the worst leadership in the world,” the runner-up for MVP said. “Year after year, the only thing that remains consistent is the lack of accountability from our leaders. If I didn’t know exactly what the job entailed, maybe I wouldn’t feel this way.
“But unfortunately for them, I do believe we serve a league that has shown they think championship coaches and Hall of Fame players are dispensable, and that’s fine. It’s professional sports, but I will not stand quietly by and allow different standards to be applied at the league level.”
Collier was annoyed she hadn’t heard from Engelbert following her injury in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals.
“Not one call, not one text. Instead, the only outreach has come from her number two telling my agent that she doesn’t believe physical play contributed to injuries. That is infuriating,” Collier said. “It’s the perfect example of the tone deaf, dismissive approach that our leaders always seem to take.”
Collier wants the league to do a better job protecting its players in the long term.
“The league talks about sustainability. This is about sustainability. How are you going to protect your players? How are you going to make sure that we have the best products on the floor night after night, when it’s so inconsistent and people are getting hurt left and right?”
While they couldn’t quite surge into the playoffs with a September push, the Arizona Diamondbacks did play well in the second half despite their fire sale at the deadline.
A 51-58 record before the deadline was followed by a 29-24 record in August and September, but how the team reached each of these records looked very different.
While most of the roster changes happened at the end of July, more in-depth stats are available when looking at performance before and after the All-Star break. So, most of these numbers and rankings will be using mid-July as the dividing point.
Prior to the All-Star break, the Diamondbacks had one of the strongest offenses in baseball. The team was top five in MLB in runs scored (fourth), doubles (second), triples (second), home runs (fourth), walks (third), on base percentage (fifth), slugging percentage (fourth) and OPS (third).
Marte was an MVP candidate during the first half. Marte was in the NL’s top 10 for batting average (seventh), on base percentage (second), slugging percentage (second), OPS (second) and home runs (T-10th). While he didn’t play poorly in the second half, he was not top 10 in any of these categories.
The potent hitting wasn’t quite strong enough to make the team contenders by the end of July, and when Arizona sold at the deadline, the departures of Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor meant the offense was unable to sustain its pace.
Prior to being traded, Suárez was tied for fourth in MLB with 36 home runs in addition to hitting .248 with an .896 OPS. Naylor was the team leader in hits before he was sent to Seattle, holding a .292 batting average and .807 OPS.
The Diamondbacks saw themselves fall in all of the categories they were highly ranked in, besides triples. The only categories where the Diamondbacks ranked notably better in the second half were batting average, where the team went from 12th to seventh, and hits (14th to 10th).
After signing his four-year extension, Perdomo had a solid first half, recording a .783 OPS. But in the second half he surged, landing in the top 10 during the half in National League runs (T-seventh), hits (first), triples (T-fourth), walks (T-ninth), stolen bases (T-fifth), batting average (second), on base percentage (first), slugging percentage (sixth) and OPS (second).
On the season as a whole, Perdomo led National League hitters in Wins Above Replacement with 7.0, more than his previous four seasons combined. Despite not being selected to the All-Star team, Perdomo’s second-half production has turned him into an MVP candidate.
Carroll was looking to return to his 2023 form when he won rookie of the year and finished fifth in MVP voting. He started the year hot and, after the first half, found himself seventh in NL OPS at .874.
Carroll was able not only to maintain his first-half success but build on it. Notably, he took more walks, going from 53rd in the NL in the first half to tied for ninth in the second. This also greatly increased his on-base percentage, which was 42nd in the first half and 13th after the All-Star break.
Throughout the first half of the season, the D-backs’ weakness was clear. The team was ranked poorly in nearly every pitching category, and while they didn’t become a top staff in the second half, they still saw vast growth on the individual and team levels.
As a team, Arizona saw improvement in their MLB ranks for ERA (26th in the first half to 19th in the second half), WHIP (23rd to 18th) and walks (18th to fifth).
The team’s starting pitching in particular saw an increase in production. Zac Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez both dropped their ERAs by more than a full point after the break.
Additionally, Gallen, Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson all pitched more innings per start in the second half than in the first. This increase, when extrapolated to a full season, would potentially save the bullpen 53 innings of work.
The Diamondbacks would want to save the bullpen as much work as possible after they blew 29 saves this year, tied for the second most in baseball, and had the fourth-worst reliver ERA at 4.96.
The Arizona Cardinals announced running back Michael Carter has been signed to the 53-roster from the practice squad with current RB1 Trey Benson not practicing on Monday.
Additionally, running back D’Ernest Johnson was signed to the practice squad and the 21-day practice window has been opened for defensive lineman Bilal Nichols.
Arizona (2-2) moved Benson to its top rushing option last week after losing James Conner for the season.
Carter, who was elevated to the active roster ahead of Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks, was put back on the roster on Monday with Benson not seen at practice.
In the first game without Conner, Benson registered eight rushes for 35 yards and had five receptions for 19 yards.
Carter logged one carry late for one yard against Seattle and has appeared in 10 total games across three seasons (2023-25) for the Cardinals.
Rookie cornerback Will Johnson, who has been dealing with a groin injury, was back practicing, a positive sign for someone who has missed two straight games.
A good sign ⬇️
Cardinals rookie CB Will Johnson (groin) back practicing on Monday. pic.twitter.com/B5lDPAzNw7
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 29, 2025
Nichols was placed on the PUP list with a neck injury prior to the start of the 2025 regular season, which demands a player sits out a minimum of four games. The eighth-year pro signed a three-year contract with Arizona in March 2024 and last played on Oct. 13 last season against the Green Bay Packers.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder had 10 tackles (six solo) in six games with the Cardinals in 2024.
Johnson was also added for Arizona running back depth after spending a brief stint on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad this season.
Johnson last saw game action with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, appearing in 14 games and having 32 carries for 143 yards and 12 catches for 96 yards and no touchdowns.
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks will retain manager Torey Lovullo for his 10th season after the team fell short of reaching the postseason for a second straight year, according to MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert and azcentral’s Nick Piecoro.
A team source confirmed to Arizona Sports that Lovullo will return for 2026.
The Diamondbacks entered 2025 with a record payroll nearing $200 million and expectations to compete for a championship, which did not materialize in an 80-82 season.
Managing partner Ken Kendrick told Arizona Sports‘ John Gambadoro, “I have never been more disappointed in a season than this one because our expectations were so high.” Yet, the club has opted against making significant change in the dugout.
Lovullo is the winningest manager in club history at 664-692 and the longest-tenured.
The Diamondbacks pushed the envelope this past offseason by signing ace starting pitcher Corbin Burnes to a $210-million contract and trading for All-Star first baseman Josh Naylor.
The 2025 season was disastrous through the trade deadline, however, as poor defense, pitching woes and injuries led to a 51-58 record by July 31. Merrill Kelly, Naylor and Eugenio Suarez were among the D-backs shipped to other teams, while Arizona was left with a younger roster for the final two months.
That is where Lovullo may have saved his job.
The Diamondbacks played their best baseball of the season with a less experienced, more athletic team, staying alive in the Wild Card race until the final weekend of the regular season. Their identity that leaned on speed, solid defense, good starting pitching and enough thump to score enough runs materialized as they climbed back into the pennant chase.
In the final week, Lovullo took on scrutiny for the decision to have potential top-five MVP candidate Geraldo Perdomo bunt in the 10th inning of a crucial game against the Dodgers, a move that backfired when the Dodgers held off the Diamondbacks and won in the 11th inning. Arizona was eliminated two days later.
Lovullo was much more forthright in 2025 regarding the job of a modern-day manager, explaining the decision-making process within an organization.
He described himself as “the manager of the baseball team once it hits the dugout,” saying he has a seat at the table but is not the primary decision-maker in other aspects, including pitching plans and starting lineup.
“There’s a group of people that are behind the scenes that are making a lot of decisions that used to be made in the traditional baseball manager sense,” he explained.
On Sunday, Lovullo said there is always doubt when asked about his job security, explaining he works in a cutthroat industry.
“I do have a contract for next year, but who knows? Anything is possible. We’ll see what happens,” Lovullo said.”
The 2026 Diamondbacks will be in a tough spot while waiting for key players to return from injury.
Burnes, A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. will not be ready for Opening Day and are unlikely to play in the first half of next season. Zac Gallen is a free agent, and the rotation has plenty of question marks moving forward.
Lovullo came to the Valley with general manager Mike Hazen from the Boston Red Sox after the 2016 campaign. Lovullo was the bench coach in Boston, where he won the 2013 World Series under manager John Farrell.
The D-backs made the postseason in 2017, and Lovullo won the National League Manager of the Year Award in his debut season. His squad reached the National League Division Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Arizona did not make it back to the playoffs until 2023, when the D-backs unexpectedly ran through the National League and into the World Series for the first time since 2001. They defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies on the way, stunning Philadelphia in Games 6 and 7 at Citizens Bank Park.
Lovullo famously said, “We didn’t come across country to get our ass kicked.”
Arizona lost in five games to the Texas Rangers in the World Series, but the promise was there for a young team to build on a special run and continue improving.
Lovullo received a contract extension through 2026 after Hazen was extended through 2028.
The 2024 Diamondbacks fell short of the postseason despite a five-win improvement, as 89-73 was not good enough to clinch due to tiebreakers. Arizona went 2-5 over the final week of the season to squander opportunities for a team that had been among the hottest in baseball over the second half.
Lovullo seethed as he watched the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves make the playoffs by splitting a doubleheader against each other on the day after the regular season ended for everyone else due to a hurricane-caused reschedule, leading to this past offseason that set high expectations.
Four teams parted with their managers during the 2025 season: Pittsburgh with Derek Shelton, Colorado with Bud Black, Baltimore with Brandon Hyde and Washington with Dave Martinez. The San Francisco Giants on Monday fired Bob Melvin.
After a bye this week, Arizona State football will have a late-night showcase on the road with Utah on Saturday, Oct. 11, the Big 12 announced Monday.
The Sun Devils (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) will face Utah (4-1, 1-1) at 7:15 p.m. MST with the telecast on ESPN.
ASU regained a place in The Associated Press’ Top 25 at No. 25 after a 27-24 home win over TCU, while Utah regained some confidence after being trounced by No. 11 Texas Tech by taking it to West Virginia, 48-14.
Arizona (3-1, 0-1) gets a primetime Saturday slot at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 against No. 23 BYU (4-0, 1-0) in Tucson.
The Wildcats had a bad taste in their month after a 39-14 loss to No. 14 Iowa State but have a potential get-right game prior to facing the Cougars with a struggling Oklahoma State (1-3, 0-1) up next.
All kickoff times MST
Saturday, Oct. 11
UCF at Cincinnati – 9 a.m./FS1
Houston at Oklahoma State – 9 a.m./TNT
No. 14 Iowa State at Colorado – 12:30 p.m./ESPN
TCU at Kansas State – 12:30 p.m./FOX
Kansas at No. 11 Texas Tech – 4:30 p.m./FOX
No. 23 BYU at Arizona – 5 p.m./ESPN2
No. 25 Arizona State at Utah – 7:15 p.m./ESPN
West Virginia and Baylor have byes during Week 7.
Arizona State football is back in The Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll at No. 25 following a comeback 27-24 win against No. 24 TCU on Friday.
Arizona State (4-1, 2-0) had not been in the Top 25 since its Week 2 loss against Mississippi State. The Sun Devils received 57 votes following its win against Baylor last week.
The Sun Devils also earned a place in this week’s Coaches Poll, landing at No. 24.
The Sun Devils have rattled off three wins in a row since its Week 2 loss despite trailing by as many as 17 points in Friday’s contest. Close games have been a recent trend for ASU as three of their last four games have been decided by three points or fewer.
Following the win, ASU will be on a bye next week before traveling to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Utes on Oct. 11. Utah will also be on a bye in Week 6 following its 48-14 win against West Virginia on Saturday.
Four Big 12 teams were in the latest AP Poll with Texas Tech jumping up one spot to No. 11 despite being on a bye this week. BYU moved up two spots to No. 23 while TCU fell out. Iowa State remained at No. 14 after its 39-14 win against Arizona on Saturday.
Oregon jumped from No. 6 to No. 2 following an overtime win versus Penn State. Penn State dropped to No. 7.
Florida State dropped the most spots out of any team that was in the Top 10 headed into Week 5, dropping from No. 6 to No. 18 following the loss to Virginia on Friday. LSU fell nine spots to No. 13 after a loss to Ole Miss who jumped up to No. 4 in the poll.
Others receiving votes: South Florida 53, Utah 52, Mississippi State 46, Memphis 38, Louisville 36, Southern Cal 22, Maryland 7, North Texas 7, TCU 6, UNLV 3.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The WNBA has suspended Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve for one game for her conduct and comments during and following the Lynx’s 84-76 loss to the Mercury on Friday night.
Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve Suspended pic.twitter.com/RgBAwRwOZa
— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) September 27, 2025
Her conduct and comments included aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing a game official on the court, failure to leave the court in a timely manner upon her ejection with 21.8 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, inappropriate comments made to fans when exiting the court, and remarks made in a postgame press conference.
Reeve called the assignment of the three officials in the game on Friday, “malpractice.”
She will serve the suspension on Sunday when the Lynx play the Mercury in Game 4 of the teams’ semifinals series in Phoenix.
The Mercury lead the best-of-five series 2-1.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
On the latest edition of the State of the Sun Devils podcast, Jeremy Schnell, Jesse Morrison and Damon Allred react to Arizona State football’s comeback victory over No. 24 TCU.
The Sun Devils trailed 17-0 early in the game before cutting the Horned Frogs’ lead to three before halftime.
ASU held TCU to just seven points in the second half and no points in the fourth quarter to win 27-24 for the second straight week.
Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson had big games in the victory. Leavitt tossed for 278 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while Tyson had eight grabs for 126 yards and two scores.
Raleek Brown also went off for ASU. The Sun Devil running back ran for 147 yards and added 37 receiving yards.
The ASU defense stepped up as well in the win, forcing three turnovers.
The Sun Devils are off until Oct. 11 when they take on Utah in Salt Lake City.
SAN DIEGO — Arizona Diamondbacks longtime starting pitcher Zac Gallen addressed the media with his uniform still on hours after he exited Friday’s start against the San Diego Padres.
With a 7-4 loss, Arizona was eliminated from playoff contention, ensuring Gallen had made his final start before he enters free agency this winter.
Gallen has been with the Diamondbacks since 2019, making 176 starts, pitching 1,007.1 innings and striking out 1,060 batters. Since 2020, only San Francisco’s Logan Webb has made more starts with the same team, per Stathead.
“It’s tough for me to take off,” Gallen said of his uniform. “Kind of lingered on the mound a little bit too when (manager Torey Lovullo) was coming out. Wearing this uniform for seven years now. As much as I spent some other time in organizations, I think of myself as a D-back.
“If it’s the last time, a tough pill to swallow. A lot of fond memories here. I know the last two years didn’t go the way we wanted it to. This year didn’t go the way I envisioned for myself. But, every fifth day I put the uniform on, it was an honor, I was proud to put the uniform on. I went out there every fifth day and just tried to give these guys everything I had and obviously just this year wasn’t enough.”
Zac Gallen did not want to take his Diamondbacks uniform off after making his final start before entering free agency. pic.twitter.com/WtmkipCoUi
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 27, 2025
For so long, Gallen and Merrill Kelly anchored Arizona’s starting rotation, a tandem entering free agency at the same time after this season. Kelly was traded at the deadline to Texas, while the D-backs did not find a deal worth parting with Gallen for.
Gallen rewarded them with a strong final two months, as he owned a 2.82 in 10 starts since the deadline entering Friday.
After the Diamondbacks pushed him back from Thursday’s game at Chase Field against the Dodgers, Gallen did not finish the season the way he wanted at Petco Park.
Gallen allowed five earned runs in 4.1 innings. A two-out, 3-2 grand slam from Fernando Tatis Jr. was the difference in the game.
Lovullo explained the move to push back Gallen a day was made by the organization to give Gallen an extra day of rest after he had been dealing with illness. He pitched through a cold on Saturday and delivered seven quality innings in a win over the Phillies.
Gallen claimed he was ready to go but would do whatever the club felt was best. Not getting one more start at Chase Field was disappointing, however.
“Whether I felt a 100% or not, I would’ve put on the uniform and went out there and tried to give the guys a chance to win,” Gallen said. “Hindsight’s always 20-20, it is what it is, but I was ready either way.”
Gallen said he took a beat when walking off the mound against the Phillies to appreciate the moment, but he did not think that was the final time.
“In the back of my mind, I thought I was getting another start at Chase Field,” Gallen said.
He signed autographs along the third-base line on Thursday, a way to show fans appreciation despite not being able to pitch in front of them again.
Before the trade deadline, Gallen sat in the Diamondbacks’ dugout after the fans had all departed, taking in his home ballpark for what could have been the final time, but it wasn’t. He made it clear in a Players Tribune article after the 2023 World Series what it meant to bring the Valley the excitement of a playoff run.
The future is uncertain for Gallen and the Diamondbacks.
Gallen is a 30-year-old pitcher who has three top-10 Cy Young voting finishes and Scott Boras as his agent.
He is also coming off a season in which he delivered a 4.83 ERA, even with a resurgence over the past two months.
Will a team give him a multi-year deal worthy of a two-starter? Does he take a qualifying offer with the D-backs to try again next year? How will the numerous Diamondbacks pitching injuries for next season (Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk) impact their willingness to spend on pitching? Is there a chance he comes back?
What is certain is that Gallen has been one of the best starting pitchers in franchise history, not on the Randy Johnson and Brandon Webb level but arguably in the top five with Curt Schilling and Kelly or Zack Greinke. Gallen ranks third in starts, innings and strikeouts.
“ I love Zac Gallen and I told him that,” Lovullo said. “I don’t know where the journey goes for him. … He did everything he could in the Valley to help bring us a world championship. He carried this rotation on his back at times. We watched him grow and learn and I couldn’t be more proud of what he did and what he represented.”
Torey Lovullo reflects on Zac Gallen's tenure with the Diamondbacks. pic.twitter.com/08fCUDvCDG
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 27, 2025
SAN DIEGO — The Arizona Diamondbacks designated right-handed pitcher Nabil Crismatt for assignment on Friday.
The club recalled reliever Bryce Jarvis from Triple-A Reno for bullpen depth over this final three-game series against the San Diego Padres.
Crismatt was a diamond-in-the-rough signing by the Diamondbacks after he joined the team on a minor league deal. He entered the starting rotation after the D-backs traded Merrill Kelly and placed Anthony DeSclafani on the injured list in early August.
Crismatt filled in admirably, entering Thursday with a 2.61 ERA in seven appearances. His ability to mix speeds and keep hitters off-balance with the changeup allowed him to miss barrels in a throwback way.
His rotation spot was cut once Arizona opted to turn to a four-man cycle last week, but Arizona needed Crismatt for bulk innings in a bullpen game on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It did not go well, as Crismatt was charged with seven runs (five earned) in three innings to bump his ERA to 3.71. He allowed three home runs.
Zac Gallen will start on Friday, Eduardo Rodriguez on Saturday and Brandon Pfaadt on Sunday with the season on the line for the time being. Arizona needs to make up two games on the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds this weekend to make the postseason.
In 11 games played with the D-backs this season, Jarvis sports a 6.10 ERA and 1.452 WHIP. He’s recorded one save, struck out 20 batters and walked nine.
TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals’ offensive attack has been anything but consistent four weeks into the season.
The run game looks nothing like it did the past two years and issues in the passing game remain a weekly occurrence.
But for all the added chatter from the outside on how rough the unit has looked, the confidence level remains high within Arizona’s training facility.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon's confidence in the offense remains "high" four weeks in:
"I know that we have the people that we need to produce and win games. I've seen through four weeks what it could look like at times. We're just not consistently there right now." pic.twitter.com/pGItPWSoUz
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 26, 2025
“To the outside world — not that I’m worried about the outside world — they be like, ‘Why is it high? You’re not scoring a lot of points. At times, it doesn’t look great, this and that.’ I know that we have the people that we need to produce and win games,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Friday following Arizona’s 23-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. “I’ve seen through four weeks what it could look like at times. We’re just not consistently there right now.”
Offensive continuity was the main talking point when looking at Arizona’s makeup through training camp and the preseason as a major factor in the unit taking that next step under coordinator Drew Petzing.
Miscommunication very much remains, however, whether it be between Murray and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. or along the offensive line.
Through four weeks, the Cardinals offense is 26th in the league in total yards per game with 270.5. It’s 28th in passing yards per game at 164.8 and 20th in points per game at 19.7.
But it’s the run game sitting 28th in the NFL at 164.8 yards per game that has a whole lot of alarms going off.
As much as it’s been the bread and butter and true identity of this offense, it’s been a slog. And now it’s down starter James Conner for the remainder of the year.
Despite all those numbers, the Cardinals have remained in every game thanks to a legit defense that is doing just about everything it can to bridge the gap of the offensive inconsistencies.
And while the offense has its glaring issues, there have been at least glimpses of what this unit can be.
The 10-play, 71-yard scoring drive just before halftime against the New Orleans Saints stands out.
So do Arizona’s back-to-back scores at the end of the first half and the opening drive of the second.
Had any of the three big notable drops that happened in the loss to San Francisco been caught, it’s very likely Arizona takes that one on the road in Week 3, too.
Can’t forget about what was put on tape late in Thursday’s loss to Seattle, either.
In between a rock and a hard place offensively, Murray and the offense orchestrated two scoring drives in the fourth quarter to give them a chance in what started out as a blowout.
That miscommunication that was on display between Murray and Harrison also suddenly vanished when it mattered most. Those types of high-leverage game reps could pay off further down the line.
Now, it’s about putting it together across an entire game coming off back-to-back divisional losses.
For Gannon and the Cardinals, it’s about looking at the glass half full.
“One question somebody asked me yesterday … I kind of smirked at it. ‘Does this deflate your team losing twice how we’ve just lost?’ My mind went to it honestly will give us a shot of adrenaline. I’m speaking from my own personal belief and feeling of when you lose like that you know you’re close.
“Not that our sense of urgency isn’t there, but it makes you really focus in on the things that we have to do better to not have the result that we’re getting. Our guys will bounce back. They’ll be ready to go on Monday.”
Having the right mindset is key.
Having some extra time to fine-tune things from a coaching standpoint while giving players some added days of rest coming off the short week are added bonuses.
Even on four days of prep for Seattle, the Cardinals came out in a different look than normal, opting to “throw it all over the yard” and stay away from playing a stout Seahawks defense “in a phone booth,” as Gannon put it Thursday.
As noted by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell in real time, the Cardinals seemingly abandoned 12- and 13-personnel in the first half. That was very much the case in the second half, though Arizona’s fourth-quarter touchdowns came in both 11- and 12-personnel looks.
Some of those wrinkles paid dividends late as Murray and the offense clawed their way back into the matchup.
Now, it’s about properly picking and choosing those moments moving forward in an effort to regain the consistency that’s been missing.
A longer week of prep and film work could help in that department.
PHOENIX — There has been no season in the history of the Arizona Diamondbacks in which the club had used more pitchers than it has in 2025.
Philip Abner made his major league debut on Friday, giving the Diamondbacks 41 pitchers used this season, matching the 2021 squad for the club record. On Sunday, the D-backs selected prospect Austin Pope from Triple-A Reno, and on Thursday he became the 42nd.
Unrelenting injuries are the main cause, and those prematurely ended the seasons of ace Corbin Burnes, co-closers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez and reliever Kevin Ginkel.
They have created a kaleidoscopic pitching staff, particularly in the bullpen.
Ready for the list? Okay, here we go:
Philip Abner, Kyle Backhus, Jalen Beeks, Jeff Brigham, Juan Burgos, Corbin Burnes, José Castillo, Nabil Crismatt, John Curtiss, Anthony DeSclafani, Yilber DÃaz, J.P. Feyereisen, Zac Gallen, Brandyn Garcia, Kevin Ginkel, Kendall Graveman, Tommy Henry, José Herrera, Andrew Hoffmann, Drey Jameson, Bryce Jarvis, Merrill Kelly, Casey Kelly, Joe Mantiply, Justin MartÃnez, Scott McGough, Cristian Mena, Shelby Miller, Christian Montes De Oca, Juan Morillo, Ryne Nelson, Kyle Nelson, Brandon Pfaadt, Austin Pope, A.J. Puk, Taylor Rashi, Trevor Richards, Eduardo RodrÃguez, Andrew Saalfrank, Tayler Scott, Ryan Thompson and Jake Woodford.
Of the 41, nine started games this year and a team-record 37 made appearances out of the bullpen. Seventeen pitchers have recorded saves, the most in a single season in MLB history (previously 14).
“It’s nothing you can predict when you’re sitting in spring training, and it’s just where we’re at right now,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I can’t explain how or why it happened. I know the ’21 year was a lot different. We had to dip into our reserves and then we went external and started to pick guys up on waivers.
“We’ve been dipping into our system and there’s been a bunch of guys that have come up and really opened our eyes. Guys like Backhus, Saalfrank coming back, Abner. We’ve taken on an enormous amount of injury, and the group that has come in here has held serve.”
Gallen is the team leader in innings at 187.2, while Beeks easily paces the club in appearances with 61.
Fangraphs’ injury report lists 17 major league pitching injured list stints for the Diamondbacks, which does not include traded players Jordan Montgomery and Miller. Arizona pitchers have undergone six season-ending Tommy John surgeries: Blake Walston, Montgomery, Puk, Martinez, Burnes and Henry.
Injuries tell a significant portion of the story for the 2025 Diamondbacks, which has led to the team bringing up prospects and trying out journeyman veterans to see who sticks. Crismatt did, Feyereisen not so much.
The D-backs have used eight pitchers in their age 25 seasons or younger this year. Nine made their major league debuts this year.
Speaking of injuries, Lovullo said Walston — who has not thrown a pitch this season after getting Tommy John surgery in spring training — has began his throwing program. He is the first among Arizona’s pitchers who had TJ to pick up a ball.
Lovullo said the order is likely going to be Walston, Puk, Burnes, Martinez and Henry.
Amazingly, the New York Mets (46) and Atlanta Braves (45) have both used more arms this season than the Diamondbacks. The last-place Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles were tied with the D-backs with 41 before Pope’s debut.
New York’s 46 pitchers used is a major league record.
The Diamondbacks’ top five seasons in terms of pitchers uses are the last five seasons (2021-25).
The fewest Arizona has used in a full season was 17 back in 2000. The 2025 Diamondbacks used 17 pitchers before the end of April.
As Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro pointed out, “The amount of players that the Diamondbacks have used at first base this year is mind boggling.”
Arizona has used eight first basemen this season, which ties a club record.
The D-backs replaced Christian Walker with Josh Naylor this season via trade with Cleveland. Naylor played 93 games before getting traded to Seattle, opening the door for rookie and trade acquisition Tyler Locklear along with Pavin Smith to platoon. Smith suffered a quad injury that ended his season, and Locklear has since endured a season-ending shoulder/elbow injury.
The eight first basemen are:
Tristin English, Tyler Locklear, James McCann, Josh Naylor, Pavin Smith, Eugenio Suárez, Tim Tawa and Ildemaro Vargas.
Vargas and Tawa are the acting first basemen even though they are utility players with much more experience in other spots.
“The footwork around first base is something that is not an innate quality,” Lovullo said. “You have to learn it. … You just gotta learn where you are, how to shift your feet, how to stretch the right way, how to pick the baseball. So everything around the bag is experience, and you just gotta log innings.”
Arizona also used eight first basemen in 2015, 2009 and 2008.
Arguably, the most frustrating thing in fantasy football is seeing someone in your starting lineup struggle that week. Therefore, the logic behind this article is simple – identify fantasy football lineup landmines.
These are players you’re leaning towards starting this week but could end up being a landmine that blows up and destroys your starting lineup, potentially costing you your matchup.
Brace yourself and take cover. These six players could blow up in your face in Week 4.
Many had high expectations for Prescott this season. Unfortunately, he is only the QB18 for the year, averaging 14 fantasy points per game. The veteran was outstanding in the Week 2 shootout against a struggling New York Giants defense, totaling 361 passing yards, two touchdowns, and 22.1 fantasy points. By comparison, Prescott has 439 passing yards, one touchdown, and 19.9 fantasy points in the other two games this season, scoring 12 or fewer in both outings. More importantly, he won’t have CeeDee Lamb and Tyler Booker for Sunday night’s matchup.
Sunday’s matchup against the Packers would have been difficult for Prescott, even if everyone was healthy. Green Bay has held quarterbacks to only 189 passing yards and one touchdown per game this year. Furthermore, they surrendered only 11.4 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, the second-fewest in the NFL over the first three weeks. Jayden Daniels is the only quarterback to score more than 10.9 fantasy points against the Packers this season (19.7). Don’t be surprised if Micah Parsons makes Prescott’s life a nightmare on Sunday night.
Last week, Montgomery was unstoppable in the win over the Baltimore Ravens. The veteran ended Week 3 as the RB2, totaling 12 rushing attempts for 151 yards, two touchdowns, and 29.4 PPR fantasy points. While he is the RB8 for the year after his massive performance last week, Montgomery hasn’t played like a top-10 running back. He had 22 rushing attempts for 82 yards, one touchdown, and 21.4 fantasy points over the first two weeks, averaging 0.65 fantasy points per attempt. Unfortunately, Montgomery has an awful matchup in Week 4.
While the Browns’ offense has severely struggled, their defense has been spectacular. They have surrendered 22.7 points per game, allowing 17 or fewer twice over the first three weeks despite facing the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers. More importantly, Cleveland has shut down opposing rushing attacks, giving up only 42.7 yards per game and 2.3 yards per attempt to running backs. The Browns have allowed running backs to average only 12.8 fantasy points per game, the second-fewest in the NFL, surrendering 15.7 or fewer in every outing.
Etienne has been one of the bigger fantasy surprises over the first three weeks. The veteran is the RB9 for the year, averaging 15.7 PPR fantasy points per game. However, Bhayshul Tuten is nipping at his heels after the Jaguars traded away Tank Bigsby. More importantly, Etienne has become less productive with each passing week. He has averaged fewer yards per rushing attempt (8.9 vs. 5.1 vs. 3.5) and fewer fantasy points per game (18.6 vs. 16.9 vs. 11.6) despite seeing at least 16 touches in every contest.
The veteran played 38 snaps compared to 12 for the rookie last week. Yet, Tuten scored only 3.5 fewer fantasy points than Etienne (11.6 vs. 8.1) against the Houston Texans. More importantly, the 49ers have shut down opposing rushing attacks this year. They have held running backs to 16.3 fantasy points per game, the seventh-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, San Francisco has surrendered only 79.3 rushing yards per game to running backs. Etienne will likely need to fall into the end zone to score double-digit fantasy points this week.
Fantasy players need to set their lineups Saturday night, as the Steelers and Vikings face off Sunday morning in Dublin, Ireland. Furthermore, Metcalf should be on your bench this week. The star wide receiver hasn’t lived up to draft expectations, ranking as the WR31 over the first three weeks, averaging 11.8 PPR fantasy points per game despite finding the end zone in back-to-back outings. More importantly, Metcalf’s target volume had declined in every contest. After totaling seven targets in Week 1, the veteran has 10 over his past two games.
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s defense has been outstanding this season. Over the first three weeks, they have held wide receivers to 8.3 receptions for 92.7 receiving yards, 0.3 touchdowns, and 18.2 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, the Vikings had completely shut down wide receivers over the past two weeks, allowing 11 receptions for 134 receiving yards and 21.3 fantasy points. More importantly, DJ Moore, Drake London, and Ja’Marr Chase have averaged 55.7 receiving yards and 7.8 fantasy points per game against Minnesota this year. Expect a quiet performance from Metcalf in Ireland.
Hopefully, McLaurin can play on Sunday after suffering a quadriceps injury in the Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The star wide receiver showed signs of shaking off the training camp rust against the Raiders, totaling three receptions on four targets for 74 receiving yards and 10.4 PPR fantasy points before leaving the game with the quad injury. However, he still isn’t 100% in game form after sitting out training camp. More importantly, fantasy players should avoid starting McLaurin this week against an improved Falcons pass defense.
Atlanta struggled to slow down Emeka Egbuka in Week 1, surrendering 23.6 fantasy points and two touchdowns to the rookie wide receiver. However, the Falcons have held all other wide receivers to 100.7 receiving yards and 17.4 fantasy points per game, giving up zero touchdowns. Furthermore, they’ve erased opposing No. 1 wide receivers, limiting Mike Evans, Justin Jefferson, and Tetairoa McMillan to 60 receiving yards and 9.7 fantasy points per game this season. Meanwhile, Washington might be without Jayden Daniels for the second consecutive game because of a knee injury.
Many fantasy players dropped Andrews ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the Detroit Lions, as the veteran was only the TE55 over the first two weeks, averaging 1.5 PPR fantasy points per game. He had only two receptions on four targets for seven receiving yards in the first two contests. Furthermore, Andrews appeared to no longer be a significant part of the offense. However, he had a fluke performance on Monday night against the Lions, totaling six receptions for 91 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and 27.1 fantasy points.
Yet, the veteran didn’t see an uptick in route participation in Week 3. Andrews had a 68.4% route participation rate against the Lions. By comparison, he had a 70.9% rate over the first two weeks. More importantly, Zay Flowers had only three targets in Week 3, while Isaiah Likely should make his season debut on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have held tight ends to 34 receiving yards, zero touchdowns, and 6.1 fantasy points per game this year, the third-fewest in the NFL. Sell high on Andrews while you can.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
Let’s take a look at some of the players with the largest standard deviation between high and low expert ranks in FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR). Which players are the safest starts, and who poses the biggest risk to your fantasy football lineup in Week 4?
Chase Brown was widely considered one of the safest picks at running back this season, but has failed to exceed 50 rushing yards in a single game this season and is fresh off arguably his worst performance — just 10 carries for three yards and four receptions for 17 yards. He’s struggling on the ground, averaging fewer than two yards per carry, and he has seen a reduced role in the pass game. Still, Brown is the clear lead back, and the Bengals’ overall offensive struggles are limiting his upside this week.
This week, Brown faces a Denver defense that has been very generous to running backs. They gave up 165 yards to Jonathan Taylor and allowed an overall RB5 performance to Omarion Hampton. It’s possible Brown could have a bounce-back game, particularly through the air, as backs facing the Broncos have had success when it comes to receiving yards. Still, it’s tough to trust a running back whose best performance was barely scraping by as a low-end RB2. It’s hard to imagine an increase in rushing success this week. Brown must thrive through the air to justify a start. He’s a low-end RB2, at best, but is more of a risky Flex play this week.
My Projected Finish: RB21
We had high hopes for Dak Prescott in Week 3, moving him up significantly in rankings following an overall QB5 finish in Week 2 against the Giants, where he threw for over 350 yards. In what should have been a very advantageous matchup against a struggling Chicago defense, Prescott finished as the QB17 with just 251 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Losing CeeDee Lamb early certainly didn’t help Prescott, and he’ll be without Lamb again this week and for the foreseeable future.
George Pickens is more than adequate as a No. 1 WR; however, the matchup is an issue. While the Packers are fresh off an embarrassing loss to the Browns, it was their offense that struggled. The Packers’ defense held Joe Flacco to under 150 yards with zero touchdowns, and no Cleveland receiver exceeded 26 yards. The Cowboys could lean heavily on the run, rather than attacking a defense that was successful in limiting passing yardage to both Jayden Daniels and Jared Goff. Prescott goes from a top-five option to a risky streamer. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere.
My Projected Finish: QB17
Through three games, Brian Thomas Jr. has just seven receptions on 25 targets for 115 yards and no touchdowns. While his production last season came with Mac Jones, it’s not as if he and Trevor Lawrence had zero success together. Thomas caught five touchdowns in nine games with Lawrence last year. There was inconsistency, but there were also big games, which makes the current decline even more concerning. The issue isn’t just Lawrence’s struggles either. Thomas has the lowest Pro Football Focus (PFF) receiving grade of any Jaguars pass-catcher and the highest drop rate on the team.
Combine Thomas’ struggles with Lawrence’s inaccuracy and the Jaguars’ run game thriving through both Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten, and the Jags may opt to lean more into the run game. There is one glimmer of hope. Brock Purdy‘s potential return could lead to more passing volume overall as the Jaguars are forced to chase points. In that instance, we can still turn to Thomas as a risky Flex option.
My Projected Finish: WR25
Faith in Michael Pittman as a safe start is directly attached to faith in Daniel Jones. Aside from the matchup against Denver’s secondary, Pittman has had two top-12 finishes in half-PPR scoring and has an excellent opportunity to continue that momentum this week against the Rams. While the Rams are a difficult defensive matchup, their offensive success forces opponents to keep pace, increasing passing opportunities.
We saw that last week with the Eagles’ bounce-back performances from A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Pittman is the Colts’ clear No. 1 WR, and while his targets aren’t extreme, they are very consistent, and he’s shown more touchdown equity this early in the season than he’s seen overall in the past several years. Based on his numbers, Pittman’s ranking should be higher, but skepticism lingers from prior years’ performances. Still, the lack of deviation shows that the consensus rankings view him as one of the safer Flex starts this week.
My Projected Finish: WR23
After the Week 1 scare against Green Bay, where he finished with single-digit fantasy points, David Montgomery bounced back to his usual self and is coming off a massive game of 151 yards and two touchdowns against Baltimore. While we shouldn’t expect that level of production, we can safely say he has weathered the storm of offseason rumors that Jahmyr Gibbs would see an increased workload. And make no mistake, that has been the case.
Last season, Montgomery and Gibbs were very even in terms of their attempts and production in the red zone. This season, there’s been a noticeable emphasis on Gibbs’ increased touches inside the 20. He’s second only to Jonathan Taylor in attempts there, butAllAll Montgomery remains extremely relevant in the red zone and has an extremely safe floor. This week’s matchup against Cleveland is less than ideal, but it could be a spot where the Lions lean more heavily on the ground game. Montgomery should still have ample opportunities to remain a solid RB2.
My Projected Finish: RB30
In a matter of two weeks with zero preseason work, Quinshon Judkins has become one of the safest running backs. In Week 2, he saw limited snaps as expected and announced by the team, logging 10 carries for 61 yards and three receptions for 10 yards, finishing as the fantasy RB32. In Week 3, Judkins had 18 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown against a Green Bay defense that seemed like it had turned the corner against the run after holding Jahmyr Gibbs to just 19 yards and David Montgomery to 25 yards. The real question is, did the Green Bay defense fold, or is Judkins truly that good?
We’ll find out quickly this week against a Detroit defense that has done an excellent job of bending but not breaking to opposing running backs, fresh off holding Derrick Henry to just 50 yards on the ground. While the matchup isn’t ideal, it’s a luxury in fantasy these days to have a known volume running back. If Cleveland’s defense can keep the game within reach, the Browns can continue to rely on Judkins on the ground. Volume alone makes him a safe start this week rather than turning to the unknown of committee backs.
My Projected Finish: RB23
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