DBacks’ postseason exit felt abrupt, but seems like it will be short-lived

Torey Lovullo is usually the first one down the tunnel after losses, but as the Texas Rangers danced on the mound at Chase Field and celebrated a World Series title, the Diamondbacks’ manager stood and watched. A few steps behind him, outfielder Corbin Carroll did the same.

The Diamondbacks won just 84 games during the regular season. They were outscored by 15 runs. They became the first team ever to go 7-25 over a 32-game stretch and still advance to the playoffs.

They are, without question, one of the more unlikely World Series teams in recent memory and, perhaps, in baseball history.

But what happens in the coming years will also help frame this run. If the Diamondbacks make it back to October again and again in the coming years, perhaps this run will be seen as the stretch in which they arrived for good.

It could well play out that way — and this past month provided evidence to believe this is only the beginning.

Consider this: On the eve of their wild-card series in Milwaukee, General Manager Mike Hazen was grilled by reporters about the decisions he made that led the Diamondbacks to have to start right-hander Brandon Pfaadt in Game 1.

A month later, Pfaadt is viewed not as a liability but as a reason for optimism. He turned in dominant starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies and pitched competitively in two other outings. Suddenly, he looks every bit like the mid-rotation starter the Diamondbacks hoped he would be when he was a prospect. And, at times, he has looked like he might be even better than that.

Catcher Gabriel Moreno has turned in a strong postseason at the plate, hitting balls with more authority throughout the playoffs than he did for the majority of the regular season. Given his age (23) and experience — with only 453 career plate appearances, he still hasn’t logged the equivalent of a full season of at-bats — it easy to dream big on his upside.

Center fielder Alek Thomas also has emerged, hitting for more power, looking more competitive against left-handed pitching and continuing to play top-shelf defense.

The Diamondbacks have been viewed throughout the year as a club that was powered by its young roster, but the reality for much of the season was that they had one star rookie (Corbin Carroll) plus a slew of established veterans leading the way. Over the past few weeks, it has felt like the facts have caught up with the narrative.

That said, the past few weeks also exposed the Diamondbacks’ shortcomings and made Hazen’s offseason to-do list fairly clear. The club needs a third baseman. It needs at least one more starting pitcher, if not two. A stronger bench wouldn’t hurt.

The Diamondbacks also need to figure out what they will do with their outfield. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. will be a free agent, and his current contract prohibits the Diamondbacks from making him a qualifying offer. Veteran Tommy Pham also will hit the market.

Ken Kendrick, the club’s managing general partner, said before the World Series that the Diamondbacks plan to increase payroll next season, up from the $125 million or so they spent this year. With somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million locked in or projected in arbitration for their current players, that should leave Hazen some room to spend.

The end of the Diamondbacks’ season came all of a sudden, in the span of three games. Like all postseason exits, it felt hurried and abrupt. There is no telling what the future will hold, but their departure does not feel permanent.

Carroll is locked up for perhaps the next eight years. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are under club control for two more years. And their young core feels intact, ready to make another push.

Perhaps next time the Diamondbacks won’t be the ones watching from afar. They might have shocked the baseball world with their run through October, but now that it’s over, their goal seems clear: to show they can do it again.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: After shocking MLB world, DBacks goal is clear: show they can do it again