Diamondbacks' president talks team, honoring Sun Devils and returning to Mexico for games

Tuesday was for showcasing the Arizona Diamondbacks' new food items for the 2025 season, plus some of the promotional and special event items fans can pick up at select home games this season.

But Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall and team legend/special assistant to the president Luis Gonzalez also talked a little baseball amid the buzz at Chase Field.

"We believe that we're going to have a starting rotation that'll really rival anybody's," Hall said. "That should have been our strength last year, it was our weakness, hard to believe."

The Diamondbacks have yet to name an Opening Day starter, but it looks like four-fifths of their starting rotation is set. So, too, is the everyday lineup including players that will share time. There are bullpen and bench roster spots to be decided as well, with only a few spring training games remaining.

"And we had the No. 1 offense in baseball. Is that going to happen again?" Hall told those gathered on the main concourse at the ballpark. "Likely not, there will be a little regression there. But there's going to be a real good, strong balance between offense, defense and pitching."

Gonzalez said the Diamondbacks will be an exciting team in 2025.

"Going out in the offseason and picking up a guy like (starting pitcher) Corbin Burnes is really going to add a lot of excitement not only to our team but to our fans," Gonzalez said, "to know that we have one of the top pitching staffs in all of baseball."

The Diamondbacks will play their final two spring training games at Chase Field next Monday and Tuesday, then open the regular season next Thursday against the Chicago Cubs.

This Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium has been moved up from 1:05 p.m. to 12:05, the Giants announced Tuesday.

Honoring Sun Devils football on Opening Day

The Diamondbacks on Tuesday announced some details about the pregame ceremony on Opening Day, with the celebration to start at 6:30 p.m. for a 7:10 p.m. first pitch. The team will honor the Big 12 champion Arizona State Sun Devils football team as the ceremonial first pitch guests. Representing the Sun Devils will be coach Kenny Dillingham, quarterback Sam Leavitt, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, defensive back Xavion Alford and defensive lineman C.J. Fite.

Hall said recognizing ASU football made a lot of sense after the Sun Devils won the Big 12 championship and got to the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff. He was among those who approached Dillingham about doing so when Dillingham visited manager Torey Lovullo at spring training recently.

"He's excited to get out here with those guys," Hall said of Dillingham.

Hall and international ball

Hall was asked about returning to an international series at some point, with the Los Angeles Dodgers opening the season in Japan this week.

There has been interest in the Diamondbacks coming to Taiwan because of Carroll's ethnic background and interest in him there, and also Japan and Korea, Hall said. But he would like the team to play in Mexico City at some point.

"Being a border state, I'd really like to get to Mexico. We have so many fans," Hall said. "We played at Hermosillo (Sonora) for years. They come up and watch our games. I would like to get to the big city because we were going to play there right before the pandemic."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU football to be honored at Diamondbacks' home opener next week

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