Brian Kaplan WON’T RETURN as Diamondbacks Pitching Coach Despite 2026 Progress—Was He the FALL GUY?

The Diamondbacks made a surprising coaching decision after a season in which their pitching staff took a major step forward. In this episode of Locked On Diamondbacks, we break down Arizona letting go of pitching coach Brian Kaplan after his contract expired, why the move is so unexpected, and whether Kaplan is being made the fall guy despite the staff’s significant improvement in 2026.

We dive into the numbers behind Arizona’s pitching turnaround, including major seasons from Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Michael Soroka, Jonathan Loáisiga and Taylor Clarke, while also examining the impact of Jeremy Bleich and the organization’s broader pitching philosophy. Was Kaplan really responsible for the problems Arizona needed to fix, or did the Diamondbacks just let go of the wrong coach?