Will history repeat itself this year? The tale of the Diamondbacks beating the Dodgers caused a wildfire back in 2023. But since then, both the Dodgers and Diamondbacks have come a long way. Presently, the Dodgers are a force to be reckoned with, flaunting one of the best squads in the MLB. On the other hand, the Diamondbacks have also improved, but are they good enough to beat the Dodgers again this year? Their pitcher, Kevin Ginkel, thinks so. Why will the Dodgers be hard to beat this year?
Well, the billion-dollar offseason of the reigning World Series champs is what puts them ahead of others. The 2025 season looks to be even better, with the team boasting of arguably the finest rotation in baseball with Ohtani, Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Snell. Further, their hitting average over their last 10 games is .237. Hence, with both hitting and pitching considered, the Dodgers are going to be a challenge for all other teams this year. However, the Arizona Diamondbacks are confident enough!
“We can beat those guys,” said a confident Kevin Ginkel in his podcast episode with Foul Territory. This assertion sounds pretty surprising, considering how the Diamondbacks manager, Mike Hazen, was still skeptical about handling the Dodgers’ dominance. He previously stated that the LA-based outfit was the best in the business and that it would be a challenge to beat them.
.@Dbacks pitcher Kevin Ginkel says they can take down the Dodgers…again. pic.twitter.com/F8kGztDsjH
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 11, 2025
Well, the D-Backs do have the experience of beating the Dodgers, so why not repeat the same this year when they are far more improved now? How are the Arizona Diamondbacks stacked up this year to beat the Dodgers? Are they capable enough to repeat the 2023 result?
Turning the tides with the Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks can be considered as a decent team this year—possibly a strong contender for the World Series ring. Why so? Well, with players like Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte neatly positioned to take the lead, they’ve got the perfect amalgamation of young blood and veterans. The former includes Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt, who have made significant progress to strengthen the rotation. On the other hand, Corbin Carroll is leading the team with a projected WAR of 4.8 in 2025, while Ketel Marte has a solid 4.7 WAR forecast despite a slight decline from his close MVP season.
Moreover, if the rumors are true, Zac Gallen is going to join the Diamondbacks, further strengthening their pitching rotation. And as Ginkel is confident about beating the Dodgers this year, his last year’s figures are enough to justify it. Last year, Ginkel played 70 innings, recorded 5 saves, and earned a 3.21 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 77 SOs for the Diamondbacks. While the D-Backs might not have the star-studded lineup as the Dodgers, the on-field performance can still be in their favor. It would be interesting to watch how this lineup can be compared with the Dodgers, where they got three Japanese pitchers poised to breach the 150+ Strikeouts mark as per Depth Charts projections.
The upcoming regular season will prove whether Ginkel’s confidence is true. Going by the stats and figures, fans can bet on witnessing a good game between the two teams. Do you think that the Arizona Diamondbacks can beat the Dodgers this year? Share your views with us below!
The post “Can Beat Those Guys” – Diamondbacks’ $2.4M Pitcher Defies Manager’s Skepticism With Bold Dodgers Claim appeared first on EssentiallySports.
