The Arizona Diamondbacks faced a critical setback in their playoff aspirations after losing 5-0 to the San Diego Padres. Despite entering the ninth inning in a scoreless tie, the Diamondbacks fell apart defensively, allowing all five runs in the final frame, primarily due to home runs surrendered by reliever A.J. Puk.

With this loss, the Diamondbacks are now in a precarious position, tied with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets for the National League wild-card spots. Their upcoming game against the Padres is essentially a must-win to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Kyle Higashioka, Brandon Lockridge, and Donovan Solano each hit home runs in the ninth inning, leading the San Diego Padres to a decisive 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks are struggling, having lost five of their last six games, and are falling behind in the National League playoff race.

Despite having the highest-scoring offense this season, Arizona managed only two hits against a strong performance from Padres pitcher Randy Vásquez, who threw six scoreless innings. The Padres, having secured their playoff spot, are gearing up for the Wild Card Series.

Skip Schumaker, the manager of the Miami Marlins, will not return for the 2025 season after two years with the team. This decision follows a challenging season, marked by injuries and a significant roster overhaul under new leadership.

Despite the Marlins' disappointing 60-100 record, Schumaker remains a respected figure in baseball and is anticipated to be a sought-after candidate for managerial positions with teams like the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox.

The final weekend of the regular season is here, with teams clinching playoff spots and the competition heating up. A.J. Puk has emerged as a standout for the Arizona Diamondbacks, boasting an impressive ERA since his trade. Meanwhile, Edwin Uceta of the Tampa Bay Rays has also made a name for himself as a reliable reliever.

Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians is having a remarkable season, with a league-leading number of saves and a record-setting performance for his franchise. As the season wraps up, the race for saves is tight, with several pitchers vying for the top spot.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have struggled with catching this season, rotating through four catchers: Gabriel Moreno, Adrian Del Castillo, Jose Herrera, and Tucker Barnhart.

Moreno has emerged as the most effective, boasting the lowest catcher ERA at 4.39, while Del Castillo has the worst at 5.46. These stats highlight significant variances in how pitchers perform with different catchers.

The team is facing potential issues with their bullpen's effectiveness linked to the inconsistent catching situation, which could impact their playoff aspirations.