Major League Baseball's trade deadline is gone, and two-thirds of the teams in the sport probably still have realistic playoff aspirations. Even the clubs that aren't competing for playoff spots can use the final two months of the season to evaluate the futures of their top executives, manager, coaching staff and players. With all that in mind, here's the best-case scenario for all 30 teams during the remainder of the 2024 regular season.
The Diamondbacks were 41-43 after the first three months of the season, making them one of the most disappointing teams in baseball. But since the calendar flipped to July, the reigning NL Champions have been one of the hottest teams, going 20-9 and looking like a club that could be dangerous in October. For manager Torey Lovullo's squad to be at their peak in the postseason—whether they arrive as a wild-card team or storm back to win the NL West—they need some combination of four pitchers to get right.
LHP Jordan Montgomery: He was a playoff hero for the Texas Rangers last year, but he has a 6.37 ERA over 16 starts this year. This one is pretty cut and dry.
LHP Eduardo Rodríguez: The 31-year-old lefty will make his season debut this week after inking a four-year, $80 million deal to join the Snakes in the offseason. A shoulder strain has held him out to this point, but he had a 3.30 ERA over 26 starts a season ago for the Detroit Tigers and was part of the 2018 World Series-winning Boston Red Sox, so he could be a boost for the Diamon.