The Diamondbacks are leaning hard into small ball, and it’s catching teams by surprise. In Game 3 against the Rangers, even though they’re down 2-1 in the series, Arizona showed how one well-timed bunt can change everything. Evan Longoria, who hadn’t bunted since 2014, dropped a sacrifice bunt in the third inning to move a runner into scoring position. That one play forced the Rangers to shift their defense. Next time up, Longoria hit a grounder past a drawn-in third baseman, scoring a run.
The fear of another bunt messed with Rangers third baseman Josh Jung’s positioning. Footage showed he normally plays back on similar plays, but this time he played in, opening up the line. The Diamondbacks kept pressing. Longoria got bunted over again, and a routine single brought him all the way home from second. Two runs came from simple, smart baseball. Opponents started crowding the infield and overthinking, which played right into Arizona’s hands. They’re not winning with power, but they’re making every baserunner count.