Going into the 2024 season, Mike Hazen had a novel idea: Have a hitter to take the place of the pitcher in the lineup. Now you might be thinking, ISH, this isn’t novel. The Designated Hitter rule has been in place in the American League for decades, and the National League gave in two seasons prior. Well, yes, that’s true, but Mike Hazen and the Diamondbacks had never actually tried it. They had used it as a way to get other players half days off, and they never took full advantage of the rule.
Much to their detriment, to say the least.