From Expansion Franchise to World Series Champions
The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of Major League Baseball’s youngest franchises, but they have already built an impressive history. Arizona was awarded an expansion franchise in 1995 and began National League play in 1998.
In only their sixth season, the Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series, defeating the New York Yankees in one of the most dramatic World Series ever played.
The franchise has also produced or featured MVPs, Rookie of the Year winners, Cy Young Award winners, All-Stars and future Cooperstown Hall of Famers.
The Birth of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Major League Baseball announced the addition of Arizona and Tampa Bay as expansion franchises on March 9, 1995.
Aizona’s ownership. The group was headed by Jerry Colangelo, the longtime Phoenix sports executive who had also been involved with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.
The Diamondbacks began play in 1998 as members of the National League West.
Their first regular-season game was played on March 31, 1998, against the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix.
Arizona won its first game, defeating Colorado 9-2.
The expansion Diamondbacks immediately demonstrated that they intended to compete rather than simply develop slowly.
Arizona Diamondbacks Ownership History
The Diamondbacks have had two principal ownership eras.
Years
Principal Owner/Ownership
1995-2004
Jerry Colangelo-led ownership group
2004-present
Ken Kendrick-led ownership group
Jerry Colangelo — 1995-2004
Jerry Colangelo was the driving force behind bringing Major League Baseball to Arizona.
He assembled the original ownership group and served as the Diamondbacks’ managing general partner during the club’s formative years.
Colangelo’s aggressive approach helped Arizona become competitive almost immediately.
The Diamondbacks won the National League West in only their second season, 1999.
Ken Kendrick — 2004-present
In 2004, Ken Kendrick became the Diamondbacks’ managing general partner and controlling owner.
Kendrick had been an investor in the franchise before becoming its controlling owner.
He remains the Diamondbacks’ managing general partner.
The current ownership group also includes prominent Arizona business and sports investors.
Diamondbacks Home Ballparks
Arizona has had one permanent home stadium.
Bank One Ballpark — 1998-2005
The Diamondbacks opened their franchise at Bank One Ballpark.
It featured a retractable roof and was one of the first major-league stadiums designed specifically to deal with Arizona’s extreme summer heat.
The stadium also featured a natural-grass playing surface.
Bank One Ballpark became one of the most recognizable facilities in Major League Baseball.
Chase Field — 2005-Present
Bank One was acquired by JPMorgan Chase, and the stadium was renamed Chase Field in 2005.
Chase Field remains the home of the Diamondbacks.
The retractable roof allows the club to play through Phoenix’s hot summer weather.
The stadium also contains one of baseball’s most unusual features: a retractable swimming pool beyond the right-center-field fence.
Chase Field hosted the 2001 World Series, the 2001 All-Star Game and numerous memorable postseason games.
The Amazing 1998 Expansion Season
The Diamondbacks were expected to struggle in their first season.
Instead, they quickly developed a competitive roster.
Some of the early stars included:
Randy Johnson, Luis Gonzalez, Matt Williams, Jay Bell, Steve Finley, and Andy Benes.
The Diamondbacks finished their first season 65-97, but the foundation for something much bigger had already been established.
Randy Johnson Arrives
One of the most important transactions in franchise history came before the 1999 season.
Arizona signed Randy Johnson, already an established star but entering the prime of his career.
Johnson became the greatest pitcher in Diamondbacks history.
From 1999 through 2002, he won the National League Cy Young Award four consecutive times.
His 1999 season was extraordinary:
17 wins
9 losses
2.48 ERA
364 strikeouts
He struck out 364 batters in 1999, one of the greatest strikeout totals of the modern era.
The 1999 Diamondbacks
Arizona went from expansion team to division champion almost overnight.
The Diamondbacks won 100 games in 1999 and captured the National League West.
They became the fastest expansion franchise to reach 100 victories.
Although Arizona lost to the New York Mets in the Division Series, the 1999 season announced that the Diamondbacks had arrived.
Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling
The Diamondbacks eventually formed one of the greatest pitching combinations in franchise history.
Randy Johnson
The intimidating left-hander was nearly unhittable during his prime.
Curt Schilling
Arizona acquired Schilling from the Philadelphia Phillies in 2000.
Together, Johnson and Schilling became the foundation of the 2001 championship team.
Their combination of power, experience and postseason pitching made Arizona one of baseball’s strongest clubs.
The 2001 World Series
The 2001 Diamondbacks won 92 games and captured the National League West.
They defeated:
St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees
to reach the World Series.
The Yankees had won the previous three World Series and were attempting to win a fourth consecutive championship.
Arizona had other plans.
Diamondbacks vs. Yankees — 2001
The World Series became one of the most memorable in baseball history.
Arizona won Games 1 and 2 at home.
The Yankees won Games 3, 4 and 5 in New York.
The series returned to Phoenix for Games 6 and 7.
Arizona won Game 6 behind Randy Johnson.
Then came Game 7.
The 2001 World Series Game 7
The Diamondbacks led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning.
Mariano Rivera was pitching for New York.
Arizona rallied.
Tony Womack singled.
Luis Gonzalez came to the plate with the bases loaded.
Gonzalez hit a soft single over the head of Derek Jeter.
Bob Brenly scored from third base.
Arizona won 3-2.
The Diamondbacks became World Series champions.
It was the first professional major-league championship for an Arizona team.
2001 World Series MVP
Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling shared honors.
The two aces combined to dominate the Yankees throughout the Series.
Arizona’s championship was particularly remarkable because the franchise was only four years old.
Arizona Diamondbacks World Series History
The Diamondbacks have reached the World Series twice.
Year
Opponent
Result
2001
New York Yankees
Won 4-3
2023
Texas Rangers
Lost 4-1
World Series Championships
1 — 2001
The 2023 World Series Return
More than two decades after winning their first championship, Arizona returned to the World Series.
The 2023 Diamondbacks won 84 games, but their postseason run was spectacular.
They defeated:
Texas Rangers to win the National League pennant.
Arizona faced the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
Texas won the Series 4-1.
Although the Diamondbacks did not win the championship, reaching the World Series represented the second great postseason run in franchise history.
Diamondbacks MVP Winners
Arizona has had one National League MVP winner.
Paul Goldschmidt — 2013
Goldschmidt became one of the most complete first basemen in baseball.
In 2013, he hit:
.302 batting average
36 home runs
125 RBI
He led the National League in home runs and RBI and won the MVP Award.
Goldschmidt later won another National League MVP Award with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022.
Diamondbacks Rookie of the Year Winners
Arizona has had two National League Rookie of the Year winners.
Player
Year
Brandon Webb
2003
Corbin Carroll
2023
Brandon Webb — 2003
Webb won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2003.
He later won the National League Cy Young Award in 2006 and became one of the best young pitchers in baseball.
Corbin Carroll — 2023
Carroll became one of the most exciting young players in the National League.
He hit for power, stole bases and played outstanding defense.
He became the second Diamondbacks player to win Rookie of the Year.
Diamondbacks Cooperstown Hall of Fame Players
The Diamondbacks have had several future Hall of Famers wear their uniform.
The most important distinction is that Arizona’s first and most prominent Cooperstown players were Randy Johnson and Luis Gonzalez-era teammates, while other Hall of Famers had shorter Diamondbacks stints.
Player
Diamondbacks Years
Hall of Fame
Birthplace/Hometown
Randy Johnson
1999-2004
2015
Walnut Creek, California
Greg Maddux
2006
2014
San Angelo, Texas
Trevor Hoffman
2009
2018
Bellflower, California
Roy Halladay
2013
2019
Denver, Colorado
Ichiro Suzuki
2018-19
2025
Kasugai, Japan
Randy Johnson
Hometown/Birthplace: Walnut Creek, California
Johnson is unquestionably the most important Hall of Famer in Diamondbacks history.
He spent six seasons in Arizona and won four consecutive Cy Young Awards.
He finished his career with:
303 wins
4,875 strikeouts
4,135⅓ innings
4,875 strikeouts
10 All-Star selections
5 Cy Young Awards
He was elected to Cooperstown in 2015.
Johnson’s Diamondbacks No. 51 was retired by the organization.
Greg Maddux
Hometown/Birthplace: San Angelo, Texas
Maddux spent the 2006 season with Arizona.
He was already one of baseball’s greatest pitchers by the time he arrived.
Maddux won four Cy Young Awards and was elected to Cooperstown in 2014.
His Diamondbacks career was brief, but he remains one of the greatest pitchers ever to wear the uniform.
Trevor Hoffman
Hometown/Birthplace: Bellflower, California
Hoffman joined Arizona in 2009.
He was already one of baseball’s greatest closers.
Hoffman became the first pitcher to reach 500 saves and later became the second pitcher to reach 600 saves.
He was elected to Cooperstown in 2018.
Roy Halladay
Hometown/Birthplace: Denver, Colorado
Halladay’s Diamondbacks career lasted only briefly.
He signed with Arizona in 2013 but struggled with injuries and retired during the season.
He was elected to Cooperstown in 2019.
Although his best seasons were with Toronto and Philadelphia, Halladay is another Hall of Famer who wore a Diamondbacks uniform.
Ichiro Suzuki
Hometown/Birthplace: Kasugai, Japan
Ichiro played his final MLB games with Arizona in 2019.
He was elected to Cooperstown in 2025.
Ichiro finished his MLB career with 3,089 hits and became one of the greatest contact hitters and base runners in baseball history.
His Diamondbacks stint was short, but it provided Arizona fans with the opportunity to watch a baseball legend finish his career.
Other Diamondbacks-Associated Hall of Famers
Arizona has also employed or been associated with Hall of Fame managers and executives.
But the most significant Cooperstown players connected with the franchise include:
Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Trevor Hoffman, Roy Halladay, and Ichiro Suzuki.
Johnson is the clear centerpiece of Arizona’s Cooperstown history.
Players the Diamondbacks Traded Before They Became StarsLike almost Like every franchise, Arizona has traded players who later became major stars.
Some of the most notable examples involve young players who had not yet reached their full potential. Carlos Quentin
Quentin was drafted by Arizona in 2003.
He eventually became an All-Star with the Chicago White Sox.
Arizona traded him to Chicago in 2007.
Quentin developed into one of the American League’s better power hitters.
Max Scherzer
One of the biggest “what if” stories in Diamondbacks history involves Max Scherzer.
Arizona selected Scherzer in the first round of the 2006 draft.
He reached the majors with Arizona but was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 2009 as part of a three-team transaction.
Scherzer subsequently became one of baseball’s greatest pitchers.
He won:
3 Cy Young Awards
8 All-Star selections
World Series championships
more than 200 games
The Diamondbacks had drafted a future Hall of Fame-caliber pitcher but did not get to enjoy the prime of his career.
Trevor Bauer
Arizona selected Trevor Bauer with the third overall pick in the 2011 draft.
Bauer reached the majors with the Diamondbacks but was traded to Cleveland in December 2012.
He later became a major-league star and won the 2020 National League Cy Young Award.
Dansby Swanson
The Diamondbacks selected Dansby Swanson with the first overall pick of the 2015 draft.
Swanson had only a short professional relationship with Arizona before being traded to Atlanta in the 2015 deal that brought Shelby Miller to Arizona.
Swanson eventually became the starting shortstop for the Atlanta Braves and helped them win the 2021 World Series.
The trade remains one of the most debated transactions in modern Diamondbacks history.
Shelby Miller Trade
The Arizona-Atlanta trade involving Swanson became especially painful because Miller struggled in Arizona.
Arizona acquired:
Shelby Miller
Gabe Speier
Atlanta received:
Dansby Swanson
Ender Inciarte
Aaron Blair
Swanson went on to become a major-league regular and World Series champion.
Inciarte became an All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.
The trade is generally regarded as one of the worst in Diamondbacks history.
The Paul Goldschmidt Trade
Paul Goldschmidt was not traded before becoming a star.
Quite the opposite.
He became the face of the Diamondbacks before being traded to St. Louis in 2018.
Goldschmidt had already been a six-time All-Star and had won the 2013 MVP.
Arizona received:
Luke Weaver, Carson Kelly, Andy Young, and a draft pick
Goldschmidt later won another MVP with St. Louis.
Randy Johnson’s Greatest Diamondbacks Years
Johnson’s Arizona career included some extraordinary seasons.
1999
17-9, 2.48 ERA, 364 strikeouts
2000
19-7, 2.64 ERA, 347 strikeouts
2001
21-6, 2.49 ERA, 372 strikeouts
2002
24-5, 2.32 ERA, 334 strikeouts
He won the Cy Young Award in all four seasons.
The 2002 season was particularly spectacular because Johnson won 24 games and struck out 334 batters at age 38.
Luis Gonzalez
Although not a Hall of Famer, Luis Gonzalez is arguably the greatest position player in Diamondbacks history.
Gonzalez played for Arizona from 1999 through 2006.
His greatest season was 2001.
He hit:
.325
57 home runs
142 RBI
He made the All-Star team and helped lead Arizona to its first World Series.
Most importantly, Gonzalez delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning of World Series Game 7.
Luis Gonzalez’s 2001 World Series Hit
With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Arizona loaded the bases.
Gonzalez faced Mariano Rivera.
Rather than trying to crush the ball, Gonzalez managed to shoot a bloop single over Derek Jeter.
The hit scored Jay Bell.
Arizona won its first World Series.
It remains the most famous hit in Diamondbacks history.
Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling became one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history.
Arizona acquired him from Philadelphia in 2000.
Schilling went 22-6 in 2002 and became a major part of the team’s championship identity.
He was named co-MVP of the 2001 World Series along with Randy Johnson.
Although Schilling is not currently in Cooperstown, his Diamondbacks career remains legendary.
The 2001 Championship Core
The World Series-winning Diamondbacks featured:
Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Luis Gonzalez, Steve Finley, Matt Williams, Jay Bell, Tony Womack, Mark Grace, Reggie Sanders, Byung-Hyun Kim, and Matt Mantei
Manager Bob Brenly guided the club to the championship.
The 2001 Diamondbacks’ Lasting Legacy
The 2001 championship was important for another reason.
The World Series came only weeks after the September 11 attacks.
The Yankees represented New York, and the entire postseason carried enormous emotional significance.
Arizona’s Game 7 victory remains one of the most dramatic endings in World Series history.
It also made the Diamondbacks one of the fastest expansion franchises to win a championship.
The 2010s
The Diamondbacks remained competitive during portions of the 2010s.
Stars included:
Paul Goldschmidt, Zack Greinke, Patrick Corbin, A.J. Pollock, Jake Lamb, and
Archie Bradley.
Arizona won the National League West in 2017, finishing with 93 victories.
The Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies in the Wild Card round but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series.
The 2023 National League Champions
Arizona returned to the World Series in 2023.
The club was led by young stars including:
Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Christian Walker, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
The Diamondbacks shocked the baseball world by defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies.
The victory over Philadelphia in the NLCS sent Arizona to its second World Series.
Diamondbacks Franchise Milestones
1995
MLB awards Arizona an expansion franchise.
1998
Diamondbacks play their first MLB season.
1999
Arizona wins 100 games and its first NL West title.
2001
Arizona wins its first World Series.
2001
Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling share World Series MVP honors.
2003
Brandon Webb wins Rookie of the Year.
2007
Arizona returns to the NLCS.
2013
Paul Goldschmidt wins National League MVP.
2015
Randy Johnson is elected to Cooperstown.
2017
Arizona wins 93 games and returns to the postseason.
2023
Corbin Carroll wins Rookie of the Year.
2023
Arizona wins the National League pennant and reaches its second World Series.
2025
Ichiro Suzuki enters the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Arizona Diamondbacks Major Awards
National League MVP
Paul Goldschmidt — 2013
National League Rookie of the Year
Brandon Webb — 2003
Corbin Carroll — 2023
World Series MVP
Randy Johnson — 2001
Curt Schilling — 2001
Arizona Diamondbacks World Series Championships
2001 — World Champions
Diamondbacks defeated Yankees 4-3
2023 — American League/National League?
Diamondbacks lost to Texas Rangers 4-1
Total championships:
1
Total World Series appearances:
2
Greatest Diamondbacks Players
A reasonable list of the greatest players in franchise history includes:
Randy Johnson, Luis Gonzalez, Paul Goldschmidt, Curt Schilling, Brandon Webb, Steve Finley, Matt Williams, Ketel Marte, Zack Greinke, Justin Upton, Brandon Pfaadt, Corbin Carroll, Christian Walker, Mark Grace, Miguel Montero.
The Arizona Diamondbacks Legacy.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have accomplished an extraordinary amount in a relatively short period.
They began in 1998.
By 1999 they had won 100 games.
By 2001 they were World Series champions.
The club produced one of baseball’s greatest pitchers in Randy Johnson and one of its most memorable championship moments when Luis Gonzalez singled home the winning run against Mariano Rivera.
The organization later produced MVP Paul Goldschmidt, Rookie of the Year winners Brandon Webb and Corbin Carroll, and developed numerous other All-Stars.
Arizona also experienced the difficult side of player development.
The organization traded future stars such as Max Scherzer, Trevor Bauer and Dansby Swanson before they reached the height of their careers.
The Diamondbacks returned to the World Series in 2023, proving that the franchise could once again compete on baseball’s biggest stage.
Although Arizona has won only one World Series, the championship in 2001 and the National League pennant in 2023 have established the Diamondbacks as one of the most successful expansion franchises of the modern era.
The next chapter of Diamondbacks history has one obvious objective:
Win another World Series championship and bring a second title to the desert.
Artie Fischall
