they might be giants tour uk 2023

They Might Be Giants to play ‘Flood’ in full on 2023 UK tour

The dates follow over 70 sold-out shows in the US

They Might Be Giants have announced a new string of UK tour dates – playing their fan favourite ‘Flood’ in full. Check out full dates and ticket details below.

The UK shows come as a newly-added extension to the band’s ongoing Evening With tour, which is currently taking place across the United States. So far, the Grammy-winning alt-rock band have sold-out over 70 of their scheduled dates in both North America and Australia, including two performances at The House of Blues in Texas.

With dates set for Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Bristol and London, the tour will see the band perform their classic 1990 release ‘Flood’ in full – including tracks ‘Istanbul (Not Constantinople)’ and ‘Birdhouse In Your Soul’. The shows will also celebrate the band’s latest album, ‘Book’, which was released in 2021.

Tickets for the UK leg of the tour are available now and, surprisingly, there will be no opening act at the event – instead, the band will hit the stage approximately one hour after doors open.

Find a full list of upcoming UK dates below, as well as the tour poster.

NOVEMBER Tuesday 14 — Manchester, O2 Ritz Wednesday 15 — Leeds, Leeds Beckett Students Union Thursday 16 — Nottingham, Rock City Friday 17— Bristol, O2 Academy Saturday 18 — London, The Roundhouse

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Previously, They Might Be Giants performed a string of UK dates back in 2018. This followed the announcement of their 20th studio album, ‘I Like Fun’, which NME regarded as being one of their “most diverse and sonically adventurous work to date” .

Alongside their aforementioned tracks, the New York-based band also gained notoriety for their 2001 song, ‘Boss Of Me’, which became the theme for Malcolm In The Middle , starring Bryan Cranston. Recorded in 1999, the single won a Grammy Award for Best Written Song For Visual Media in 2002.

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They Might Be Giants: Flood, BOOK and Beyond

Fri.15.nov.24.

• Date: Fri 15th November 2024
• Doors Open: 6:30 pm
• On Sale: Tickets Open
• Price: £29.50
• Age Limit: 16+

Tickets for They might Be Giants are now available for Rock City !

A MESSAGE FROM THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS

We regret to announce that we have to postpone our upcoming tours of Australia, England, Ireland, and Scotland due to immediate health issues. These temporary complications should be resolved in the coming months. We are eagerly looking forward to these shows which will now happen next year (this was the earliest we could secure the shows with the continuity of a tour). And yes, these will all still be super-deluxe “An Evening with” shows with two sets including all of Flood. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and your patience is most appreciated.

  All the rescheduled shows are listed below, and your current tickets will be valid for these new dates. Ticket holders: be sure to save your ticket confirmation email and update your personal calendars NOW to avoid confusion later. In cities where we play multiple nights (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, London), you must reference the original date on your ticket with the new dates.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS CELEBRATE FLOOD

With 70+ sold-out shows so far in the US and by overwhelming demand, They Might Be Giants is extending this most popular “Evening with” performance of their breakthrough album Flood in its entirety into the United Kingdom. How will Flood be presented? Hard to say, as the show evolves every night, but needless to say, this is a once-in-a-lifetime tour.

TMBG will play two full sets that span the band’s entire career from early favorites to brand new favorites from their current Grammy-nominated album BOOK, as well as the spontaneous and improvised moments that have made They Might Be Giants shows legendary. Joined by their incomparable live band, now featuring the show-stopping Tricerachops Horns, this is an evening guaranteed to delight the most dedicated TMBG fan as well as brand-new participants.

Formed in 1982, the duo performed on stage with a drum machine accompanying them. They then also had a backing band in the early 1990’s.

No opener! They Might Be Giants’ performance starts approximately one hour after doors open. Make sure to get down early to get a good spot. This is not an event you want to miss!

For more events at Rock City check out our gig guide .

They Might Be Giants: Flood, BOOK and Beyond ON SPOTIFY

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They Might Be Giants are a rock band hailing from Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States who formed in 1981. The band was formed by John Flansburgh and John Linnell and has released 17 studio albums since their debut in 1986.

Flansburgh and Linnell have the kind of back-story that could make one seriously think about whether fate or destiny had some kind of hand in it. The two met while they were teenagers in their home town of Lincoln, Massachusetts. While both of them were budding songwriters and wrote together a couple of times when they were still in high school, they didn’t form a band together and eventually went to separate colleges. This is where fate possibly comes in. Completely unknown to each other, they both decided to settle in Brooklyn, New York after finishing college, and didn’t just end up in the same neighbourhood, they ended up in the same apartment block, and moved in on the same day.

The duo started hanging out and writing together again, and soon after they regained each others acquaintance they decided to form a band together. Taking the name of a ventriloquist act that a mutual friend had used and then dropped, they called themselves They Might Be Giants, and started busking all over New York City. Flansburgh played the guitar, Linnell played the accordion or the saxophone, both of them sang and they were backed by a drum machine or a boombox playing a backing tape. Soon, their spirited live shows and esoteric songs attracted a devoted local following before they’d released their first single, which came in the form of March 1985’s flexi-disk, the “Wiggle-Diskette”.

A demo of theirs later gained a positive review in the highly respected publication People Magazine, which led to a record deal with Bar/None Records. In 1986 their self-titled debut album was released and was a huge hit around the colleges of New York City. Pressured to release a single from it to capitalise on their newfound popularity, they filmed a video for the track “Don’t Let’s Start”, which saw a massive amount of rotation on MTV. This led to the legitimate success of their second record “Lincoln” and especially the single “Ana Ng”, which hit number 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart. Clearly, they were not going to be a band that stayed underground for long.

The band signed a deal with Elektra Records in 1989, and one year afterwards they released “Flood”, their first record to be certified Platinum thanks to the success of its lead single “Birdhouse In Your Soul”. The single is still one of the bands most beloved songs, and was a top ten hit in the U.K and a top three hit on the Billboard Modern Rock charts as well. Ever since then the band have been one of the biggest cult bands in American Rock, always ready with the last thing anyone expects of them. To wit, their three biggest selling albums after “Flood” are three records of children’s music they did in 2005 (“Here Come The ABC’s”), 2008 (“Here Come The 123s”) and 2009 (“Here Comes Science”).

Most bands are considered unique if their singer sings in a weird accent or wears a particular kind of hat. They Might Be Giants aren’t so much unique as they are once in a lifetime, but beyond the weirdness is two of the finest songwriters of their generation, and for that, they come highly recommended.

Live reviews

It is difficult to discern whether you are seeing a comedy production or a rock show when attending a They Might Be Giants concert. In a way you are seeing both. One thing is certain though. When entering in a They Might Be Giants show it is like opening the doors to the nerd mecca. It is as if Elvis Costello, XTC and Emo Phillips formed a supergroup.

One thing that I absolutely respect about this band is that they never put on the same tour twice. They are constantly writing new material, introducing new stage gimmicks and alternating line ups. Though They Might Be Giants have always managed to retain their playful sound and cutting wit they have in a technical sense come a long way since there lo-fi upbringing. On their first self-titled album the two Johns were essentially the only musicians on the recordings as well as on their respective tour. They adopted a sort of DIY ethos often taking toylike gadgets and cheap instruments applying them in the most creative ways imaginable. When they first started out they were backed by allegedly one of the crappiest drum machines, Boss' Dr. Rhythm. It was practices like this that gave They Might Be Giants their naive-like but deeply characteristic style, which in a sense has become their trademark. Their later material for better or worse has matured greatly over the years. This is evident on the highly polished sounding and more straightforward rock song "Can't Keep Johnny Down."

It would be misleading to say that the group's sound has matured on all levels. I am simply using this term to apply to the production of their music. Their antics-driven lyrics are still as prevalent as ever (for example "Circular Karate Chop" and "When Will You Die"). And of course who can forget their critically acclaimed children albums ('Here Come the ABCs' and the Grammy nominated 'Here Comes Science'). Both the children and adult shows are well worth catching. Their interaction with the audience often exceeds to hyper levels. At one of the shows I attended they randomly started shining a spotlight on individuals in the crowd and provided them with nicknames. During the same performance they transitioned into a ludicrous puppet show entitled "The Avatars of They."

Apart from the hilarious and downright entertaining interjections that occur throughout the show, the music is absolutely riveting. They Might Be Giants have a rare knack for delivering one catchy pop song after another. As for the setlist, you never know what you are going to hear. The first time I saw them, they played their second album 'Lincoln' (considered by many to be an indie masterpiece) in its entirety. The next time I saw them they almost completely changed their setlist. They showcased their finest tracks from the 'Nanobots' album and performed a wide variety of other material both highly recognized and obscure, some which harkened back to their 1986 debut album (tracks such as "Everything Right Is Wrong Again"). The only songs I heard repeated were "Bird House In Your Soul" and "Istanbul". And how could I possibly complain about that?

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Alternative rock outfit They Might Be Giants is the project focused around the two musicians John Flansburgh and John Linnell. The duo originally formed the band back in 1981 and they have always considered to be creative with the conventions and boundaries of the genre.

They have played over a thousand shows in the United States alone so as you would imagine, this kind of track record means the live show is a well thought out, expertly timed experience. The two musicians have had the time to develop older material and interlace showcases of new tracks whilst keeping the atmosphere and pace high throughout the evening. The unconventional reputation precedes them as tonight they play through an unexpected set featuring 'You're On Fire' along with a cover of 'Crazy Train' with Ozzy Osborne to open the show. There are cheers for the major hit of their career 'Birdhouse in the Soul' yet there are so many highlights it is impossible to choose. The bizarre visual interludes, kick ass instrumentals and brilliant stage interaction all contribute to the high quality show overall.

What an amazing show!!

Sold out, packed to the gills, and nothing but the best attitude from the age-spanning crowd. TMBG played 2 full sets, as well as a TRIPLE encore!

So much emotion as they covered a little from every generation, I don’t think ANYBODY left that night without hearing at least one of their personal favorites.

These guys LOVE their fans, and it shows in every picture or video that was taken (they encourage pics and recordings as long as you remain considerate of the people around you.)

Look some up! January 26th in Fort Lauderdale, find pics or vids from this night and you will see EYE CONTACT! These boys make you FEEL like they are playing JUST FOR YOU!

I love this band like a family and I look forward to all their new ventures.

If you have a chance to catch They Might Be Giants live, DO NOT HESITATE!

First I wanted to say thanks for coming to Tucson guys a lot of bands don't want to it was great to have you down here especially at the Rialto which is a great place to see a concert.

I've never seen this group in concert even though the one of my favorites and it was an absolute treat to see them. One of the best things with the chemistry they had on stage to Friendly banter was obvious that it was real. It was refreshing to see two bandmates after 30 years this thing together still really enjoy each other on stage. I've seen Hall & Oates quite a few times and I can tell you it's not the case there. The show was actually funny, which I didn't expect. These are two funny dudes and if you get a chance to see them in concert anywhere go go go

As much a spectacular performance of comic genius as a musical delight, TMBG never fail to deliver a captivating and memorable show. There’s always a few stories to tell! Even during intermission (bexause yes, it’s a two part special) we were treated with a hilarious video of the demo version of “Last Wave”, perfectly created for and overdubbed on top of “Walk this Way” by Run DMC & Aerosmith. Brilliant. And they never cease to play their fan favourites, which is impressive to say the least! Thanks TMBG for another stellar show.

Brilliant night, TMBG were completely off the wall and played songs from long ago alongside one or two from their new album.

Full of energy and quips, with the manager from hell it wasn't just a gig, it was a great experience.

They are as funny and entertaining as ever and as long as they don't start a feud with Destinies Child they should have a long and glittering career ahead.

6th time seeing them, they always put on a good and funny show. They played some stuff I hadn't heard live before. The venue wasn't half bad either. Valet parking was fast and easy. The audience was awesome too. I had a stranger offer to get me a drink. Sold out show but it wasn't packed like sardines. I was able to get drinks and merchandise no problem. It was an enjoyable experience.

What a brilliant concert! The venue was very suitable for the audience who were a mix of middle aged and older people (I think me and my friend were the youngest people there). The actual band were very passionate and sounded amazing, just like the tracks. In between some of the songs, they talked a little and told funny stories. All in all, great show and great music.

This was a fantastic show, as always. TMBG opened for themselves and played a great mix of old and new songs.

I really loved the way they did the lights for the "first show" as if they were an opening band, no special lighting/backgrounds. It was really funny to me that they took the time to think of something like that.

Diamond ballroom was also great.

Double set power!

Fantastic show from a fantastic band. Two sets and two encores, classic tunes, new tunes, jokes and a massive tuba all contributed to a wonderful evening. More than made the 7 hour round trip worthwhile.

If you're in Antwerp, go and catch them on the 26th. They will thank you for it.

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Want to see They Might Be Giants in concert? Find information on all of They Might Be Giants’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

They Might Be Giants is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 32 concerts across 4 countries in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

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They Might Be Giants have added extra dates to their November tour plans.

The Brooklyn alt-rockers have extended and expanded their schedule with new stops in Southampton, Cambridge, Glasgow, Newcastle, Belfast and Dublin. They've also lined up a second London show, at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire. Tickets go on general sale at 10am on March 3.

The new concerts are in addition to their previously announced stops in Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, and Bristol.

Joined by their live band including the Tricerachops Horns, the Grammy Award-winners will perform their 1990 breakthrough album 'Flood' in full. They'll also play a second set of tracks from their 2021 album 'BOOK'.

They Might Be Giants are currently in the middle of a spring North American tour.

NEW // Ask and ye shall receive! 🧞‍♂️ After (almost) COMPLETELY selling out their November tour, They Might Be Giants ( @tmbg ) have added a bunch of extra dates, playing their iconic breakthrough album 'Flood' in FULL. Get your tickets 10am Friday 👉 https://t.co/QMdJ5SoVNE pic.twitter.com/xvOMkYthyn — Stereoboard (@stereoboard) March 27, 2023

They Might Be Giants Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows

Wed April 12 2023 - SAN DIEGO California - Humphreys Concerts By the Bay (USA) Thu April 13 2023 - SAN DIEGO California - Humphreys Concerts By the Bay (USA) Fri April 14 2023 - LOS ANGELES California - Wiltern (USA) Sat April 15 2023 - SAN FRANCISCO California - Fillmore - San Francisco (USA) Sun April 16 2023 - OAKLAND California - Fox Theater - Oakland (USA) Tue April 18 2023 - PORTLAND Oregon - Mcmenamins Crystal Ballroom (USA) Wed April 19 2023 - PORTLAND Oregon - Mcmenamins Crystal Ballroom (USA) Thu April 20 2023 - SEATTLE Washington - Neptune Theatre (USA) Fri April 21 2023 - SEATTLE Washington - Neptune Theatre (USA) Sat April 22 2023 - VANCOUVER British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom (Canada) Wed May 10 2023 - SALT LAKE CITY Utah - Depot - Salt Lake City (USA) Thu May 11 2023 - DENVER Colorado - Ogden Theatre (USA) Fri May 12 2023 - BOULDER Colorado - Boulder Theater (USA) Sat May 13 2023 - FORT COLLINS Colorado - Washington's - Fort Collins (USA) Sun May 14 2023 - LINCOLN Nebraska - Bourbon Theatre - NE (USA) Tue May 16 2023 - KANSAS CITY Missouri - Truman - Kansas City (USA) Thu May 18 2023 - TULSA Oklahoma - Cains Ballroom (USA) Fri May 19 2023 - DALLAS Texas - House Of Blues - Dallas (USA) Sat May 20 2023 - HOUSTON Texas - House Of Blues - Houston (USA) Sun May 21 2023 - AUSTIN Texas - ACL Live At The Moody Theater (USA) Sun July 16 2023 - LOS ANGELES California - Hollywood Bowl (USA) Fri November 03 2023 - SOUTHAMPTON O2 Guildhall Southampton Sat November 04 2023 - CAMBRIDGE Junction Sun November 05 2023 - LONDON O2 Shepherds Bush Empire Tue November 07 2023 - GLASGOW Galvanizers SWG3 Wed November 08 2023 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Boiler Shop Fri November 10 2023 - BELFAST Mandela Hall Sat November 11 2023 - DUBLIN Vicar Street Tue November 14 2023 - MANCHESTER O2 Ritz Wed November 15 2023 - LEEDS Beckett Student Union Thu November 16 2023 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City Fri November 17 2023 - BRISTOL O2 Academy Bristol Sat November 18 2023 - LONDON Roundhouse

Compare & Buy They Might Be Giants Tickets at Stereoboard.com.

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Taylor Swift eras tour dates will have a significant impact on NFL schedule 2024, 3 NFL teams

A s Swifties look up which Taylor Swift eras tour dates they can attend, the upcoming release of the NFL schedule 2024 might’ve been influenced by where Swift will be this fall.

Swift already made her own accommodations for the NFL, traveling from her concert in Tokyo to Las Vegas to see boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. This time around, it could be the NFL that is adjusting things to accommodate Swift’s schedule.

Related: Taylor Swift made huge donation to family of victim of Chiefs’ parade shooting

While The Eras Tour is currently overseas, with concerts in Paris, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, Italy, Poland, Germany, Canada and Austria this summer, Swift will be making her way back to the United States this fall.

For as popular as the NFL is in the U.S., even the league knows it can’t compete with Swift’s fame and popularity. That’s why several of The Eras Tour dates could have a direct impact on the NFL schedule this season.

Related:  Examining Taylor Swift’s massive impact on the NFL

Swift is scheduled to perform at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida from Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20. That’s also home for the Miami Dolphins, who will either have to have their bye week in the middle of October (Week 7) or play on the road on Sunday, Oct. 20.

The New Orleans Saints are in the same situation. With the Caesars Superdome booked for three consecutive days of performances from Swigt from Friday, Oct. 25 to Sunday, Oct. 27, Derek Carr and the Saints will either have a bye week in Week 8 or travel around the same time Swift arrives in New Orleans to play elsewhere.

Related: Dating Taylor Swift forced Travis Kelce to buy a new house

Finally, the Indianapolis Colts are going to experience the same thing a week later. Swift is performing at Lucas Oil Stadium from Nov. 1-3, meaning the Colts bye week is either in Week 9 or Indianapolis will be without its NFL team for a few days as they travel to accommodate Swift’s schedule.

There’s no decision to make for the stadium owners, as three days of Swift performing will easily draw more ticket sales and stadium revenue than a single NFL game. As for the league itself, adjusting the NFL schedule for a few teams is worth the small hassle considering the added popularity Swift brought to the NFL in 2023.

Follow us on MSN to see more exclusive sports content.

More must-reads:

• Detroit Lions’ top draft pick was reportedly highly coveted by Green Bay Packers
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Guessing which teams could be surprise sellers at the trade deadline, plus more MLB notes

Every season, we try to identify the surprise contenders. So, why not the surprise sellers?

The trade deadline is nearly three months away. A year ago at this time, no one would have predicted the New York Mets , the most expensive team in major-league history, would trade off parts. So no one, including this humble typist, can pretend to know what might actually happen.

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Still, the season is about one-fifth complete. Trends are developing. Trends that might foretell disappointment. Or trends that might mean nothing at all. The Arizona Diamondbacks , remember, were two games below .500 last Aug. 11 — and made it to the World Series.

Consider this a thought exercise, nothing more. But here are six teams currently below .500 that might at least consider a partial deconstruction if things don’t turn around. None at this point is a particularly likely seller. But here’s guessing at least one will face some difficult decisions ahead.

Houston Astros

As The Athletic ’s Jayson Stark noted in his “What we learned in the first month” column , only one team has started a season 7-19 or worse and made it to the postseason — the 1914 “Miracle Braves.” The good news for the Astros is that they’re now 11-20 — and the expanded postseason is more forgiving for clubs than it was back in the day when the Braves played in Boston.

Virtually everyone within the sport believes the Astros will somehow recover. Maybe not enough to continue their streak of seven straight trips to the American League Championship Series. But at least enough to get within striking distance of a wild card, particularly as their pitching gets healthier.

Owner Jim “the window will never close” Crane is not one to concede. One day that could be a problem. The Athletic ’s Keith Law ranks the Astros’ farm system 27th in the majors. And Crane, if he went all Steve Cohen, circa 2023, could set the deadline on fire.

Interesting thought. But barring a complete collapse, 2024-25 free agents Justin Verlander , Alex Bregman and Ryan Pressly probably are safe, as are 2025-26 free agents Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez .

Toronto Blue Jays

Last September, as the Jays underperformed, I acknowledged The Athletic ’s Andy McCullough was correct when he labeled them, back in April, as “paper tigers.” Little seems to have changed.

The Jays continue to underperform. Their payroll is a franchise-record $225 million. Their farm system is meh. And with many of their big names approaching free agency, the team is at a crossroads.

Firing the manager would be an option, except the Jays already tried that in July 2022, replacing Charlie Montoyo with John Schneider. Selling, meanwhile, would be a concession that team president Mark Shapiro (signed through 2025), and general manager Ross Atkins (through 2026) have essentially failed at their jobs.

The Jays, then, will not give up on the season easily. But they have yet to sign Bo Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. long-term, and might not even want Guerrero on such a deal at this point. Their free agents after this season include Yusei Kikuchi , Justin Turner , Kevin Kiermaier and Danny Jansen — mostly complementary parts. But their free agents after 2025, hoo boy. Chris Bassitt . Bichette and Guerrero. Jordan Romano and a number of other relievers.

A reckoning is nearly at hand.

Tampa Bay Rays

Elements of the Rays’ 14-18 start are downright baffling. Randy Arozarena ’s .455 OPS through Wednesday was the fourth-worst in the majors. Yandy Díaz ’s .556 was the 21st-lowest. The bullpen’s walk percentage was the third-highest in the league. Only one pitching staff had allowed more homers. The fielding metrics were not good. On and on.

Injuries are part of this — the Rays currently have 13 players on the IL, including a number of starting pitchers, top relievers Pete Fairbanks and Colin Poche , second baseman Brandon Lowe and outfielder Josh Lowe . But they had plenty of injuries last season, and won 99 games. If things do not turn around, the front office likely will be opportunistic, as it always is. And that could mean trades.

What the Rays would get back if their stars continue to struggle is an open question. Arozarena is earning $8.1 million this season and arbitration-eligible for two more after that. Díaz is signed for $8 million this season and $10 million next season with a $12 million club option for 2026. Righty Zach Eflin, whose salary rises to $18 million next season, the final year of his contract, might fall into the Tyler Glasnow time-to-move bucket.

NL West also-rans

No, not the Rockies , who would not qualify as a surprise seller and have precious little to offer. And maybe not any of the non- Dodgers contenders, all of whom potentially could win a wild card, and then go on a postseason run like the 2022 Padres or 2023 Diamondbacks. Heck, maybe the NL West will even prove as good as the AL Central, where four teams are above .500!

The thinking here, though, is that at least one of the West teams will flop.

The Padres, considering their lack of depth, are operating with perhaps the thinnest margin for error. Their massive investments in Manny Machado , Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts perhaps will make them more likely to buy ( Luis Arraez ? Jesse Winker ?) than sell. But payroll was a concern all offseason, and they could move Dylan Cease when he is still eligible for two pennant races and possibly get back as much as they traded for him. The unknown: Whether the interim ownership will be as committed to winning as the late Peter Seidler — and whether it will stay committed to general manager A.J. Preller.

The Giants , after committing nearly $400 million in new guaranteed money during the offseason, are probably in too deep to consider even a modest retreat. If everything falls apart, they might consider shedding enough payroll to get under the first luxury tax threshold. But after all they’ve invested, including the forfeitures of their second and third-round picks plus $1 million of their international signing bonus pool for signing Blake Snell and Matt Chapman , there’s almost no turning back.

This team actually could get interesting, if its offense wakes up and Alex Cobb and Robbie Ray get healthy. If not, which would be worse? Snell and Chapman getting hot in the second half and opting out, effectively rendering their signings a waste? Or Chapman and Snell declining and/or getting injured, then collecting the rest of their money?

The Diamondbacks, even more than the Giants, have reason to believe better days lie ahead. Center fielder Alek Thomas and closer Paul Sewald are expected back next week, shortstop Gerardo Perdomo sometime after that, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and righty Merrill Kelly by June. The returns of Thomas and Perdomo will solidify the up-the-middle defense. A rotation of Zac Gallen , Jordan Montgomery , Rodriguez and Kelly would be among the best in the game.

And if at all falls apart, with additional, season-ending-type injuries occurring? GM Mike Hazen refused to tear down his roster even in darker days, but the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day payroll of nearly $170 million was almost $40 million beyond their previous club record. Under a worst-case scenario, the team would be almost obligated to pull back.

More likely, the Diamondbacks will keep pushing , continuing to reinvest the additional money they generated from their 17-game playoff run last October.  The defending National League champions do not even want to think about selling. With 12 postseason berths available, no would-be contender does. But the deadline is always full of surprises. At some point, for some teams, reality might set in.

Mariners : Just hit! Even a little bit!

Wait, weren’t the Seattle Mariners trying to lower their strikeout rate when they restructured their offense last offseason, parting with Teoscar Hernández , Eugenio Suárez and Jared Kelenic while bringing in Mitch Haniger , Mitch Garver and Jorge Polanco ?

The plan so far is backfiring — the Mariners’ 28.7 percent strikeout rate is the league’s highest by a considerable margin. So, while the team’s pitching staff could provide the foundation of a deep playoff run, the offense might be in need of a significant upgrade at the deadline.

The Mariners can reasonably expect Julio Rodríguez (.638 OPS), Polanco (.613) and Garver (.553) to perform better. They currently are without shortstop J.P. Crawford (strained right oblique) and outfielder Dominic Canzone (left AC joint sprain). But however their offense evolves, they cannot let their pitching go to waste.

In 18 games between April 10 and 30, Seattle starters produced an astonishing 1.44 ERA, striking out 123 in 112 2/3 innings and walking only 25. Their bullpen was nearly as good, and the team’s 13-5 run came against mostly quality opponents — the Chicago Cubs , Cincinnati , Colorado (at Coors Field), Texas, Arizona and Atlanta.

The return of Bryan Woo from elbow inflammation should further boost the rotation, though his replacement, Emerson Hancock , pitched well in four of his six starts. Barring injury, the Mariners can be the Philadelphia Phillies of the American League in October, rolling out one quality starter after another. They just need to hit.

How Mets’ Nimmo handled his move to left

In a recent notes column , I cited Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas’ professionalism, quoting him not only on his understanding of why the team preferred Mookie Betts at shortstop, but also his willingness to help Betts any way he could.

The New York Mets’ Brandon Nimmo went through a similar experience when the team asked him to move to left field to accommodate the signing of free agent Harrison Bader in center. And Nimmo, too, handled the matter in an upstanding manner.

It helped that David Stearns, the Mets’ new president of baseball operations, maintained a consistent dialogue with Nimmo throughout the offseason. Stearns first mentioned the available center fielders — free agents Bader, Kevin Kiermaier, Michael A. Taylor , plus a couple of trade options — in early November. Nimmo then gave his opinion on each player.

“When we went through that conversation, I was a little bit shocked at first,” Nimmo said. “I was like, let me process this, take me through your line of thinking. This isn’t exactly what I was thinking our needs were at this point.

“After David went through it, I was like OK, I can see that. Given that Citi Field is a pitcher’s ballpark, and you need to win low-scoring games and defense definitely helps with that, I could see it from his perspective. I said if it will make us better as a team for making the playoffs, that’s why I’m here. If you feel like that’s what we need, I’ll be all-in on that.”

Manager Carlos Mendoza spoke with Nimmo as well , asking him in January if he would rather play left or center on days Bader was not in the lineup. Nimmo appreciated that Mendoza allowed him to make that decision. And by acting transparently, the Mets avoided a potentially awkward situation with a veteran leader.

Arenado’s new inspiration

Nolan Arenado ’s record-tying streak of 10 consecutive Gold Gloves ended last season, when he was not even one of three finalists for the National League award at third base. But this season, as I wrote in Monday’s edition of The Windup , Arenado is deriving new motivation from a surprising source — the player next to him in the St. Louis Cardinals’ infield, rookie shortstop Masyn Winn .

“To be honest, playing with him makes me want to step up my fielding,” Arenado told me last week. “He goes hard for everything. Not that I don’t, but after last year the way I fielded, I see him getting after it. And I’m like, yeah, man, I need to get back to that.

“He brings energy. Watch him. He’s constantly talking to the pitcher: ‘Let’s go. You got this guy. Nasty pitch!’ I’m like, man, I used to do that when I was a young player with the Rockies. I kind of slowly got away from it. Now I’m like super quiet.

“He’s constant energy. You feed off it. Some teams might think he’s talking trash. But he’s really just talking to the pitcher all the time. It’s pretty cool.”

Backup shortstop Brandon Crawford , in his first season with the Cardinals, also is impressed with Winn, but for an entirely different reason. Most young players, Crawford said, don’t look as good in the regular season as they do in spring training. But with Winn, once the season started, his at-bats were much better than they were in the spring, when he batted just .227 with a .638 OPS.

Suddenly, Winn was not trying to do too much, hitting the ball the other way, laying off tough pitches or fouling them off with two strikes. And he’s getting better results, too, with a .293 batting average, four doubles, two triples and a .759 OPS in 97 plate appearances. He also is 4-for-5 in stolen-base attempts, and club officials rave about his defense, his arm in particular.

Winn, 22, struggled in 37 games last season, but the Cardinals only promoted him because their season was such a disappointment. It turns out his two-month audition did him good. Winn looks like he’s not only going to be a star, but also the kind of player who makes teammates better, too.

Relievers come out of nowhere, part one

The transaction was the kind fans barely notice. One year ago today, the Kansas City Royals acquired right-hander James McArthur from the Phillies for minor-league outfielder Junior Marin and the $100,000 waiver price. Little did the Royals know, they were getting their future closer.

Actually, the Royals’ pitching braintrust — pitching coach Brian Sweeney, assistant pitching coach Zach Bove and bullpen coach Mitch Stetter — had an inkling of what McArthur could do. General manager J.J Picollo, who also had recommendations from his scouts to acquire McArthur, decided to trust his coaches, all of whom were in their first year with the club.

“This was our first chance with new people, different ideas,” Picollo said. “I thought, you know what? I’m going to pursue this. It was a little bit of an experiment from a front-office perspective. It was the first time our pitching coaches were as adamant, saying, ‘Get this guy.’”

McArthur, the Phillies’ 12th-round pick in 2018, was available on waivers after the team designated him for assignment. Picollo could have simply lodged a claim, taking the chance that every team with a worse record would pass on McArthur. But to separate the Royals from other potential suitors, Picollo also offered Marin, a 20-year-old outfielder in rookie ball.

Picollo said the Royals’ coaches specifically thought they could help McArthur by changing the shape of his breaking ball. McArthur, 27, reported to Triple A and started to make adjustments. The Royals promoted him on June 28. In his first outing, against the Cleveland Guardians , he gave up seven runs in one inning. Back to Triple A he went.

Gradually, things started to click. Paul Gibson, the Royals’ director of pitching performance, told Picollo, “This is starting to look a lot different.” McArthur returned in August and posted a 2.01 ERA the rest of the way, completing his season with 16 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

The Royals didn’t intend for him to be their closer, signing free agent Will Smith to fill that role. But when Smith faltered, they switched to McArthur, with spectacular results. Since April 5, McArthur is 7-for-7 in save opportunities with 12 strikeouts and two walks in 10 2/3 scoreless innings. He is throwing his curveball about 35 percent of the time, nearly as often as his sinker.

Picollo said McArthur’s success has made him more likely to act on the suggestion of his pitching coaches again.

“They’re not all going to work out,” Picollo said of such additions. “But if you can get one every year or two, it makes you a lot better.

Relievers come out of nowhere, part two

Speaking of seemingly innocuous transactions that turned into something bigger, how about the Oakland Athletics’ purchase of right-hander Lucas Erceg from the Milwaukee Brewers last May 17?

Erceg, 29, had an “upward mobility” clause, also known as an assignment clause, in his contract. If, by a certain date, another club offered him a major-league spot, the Brewers needed to allow him to depart.

Desperate for relief help, the A’s jumped. Club officials had some familiarity with Erceg, a Bay Area native who attended the University of California before transferring to Menlo College and going to the Brewers in the second round of the 2016 draft. Somewhat like the Royals with McArthur, the A’s thought, “Why not take a shot?”

Erceg showed positive signs last season in his first major-league opportunity, producing a 27.1 strikeout rate, allowing one home run in 55 innings and finishing with an expected ERA of 3.69, more than a run per nine innings below his actual 4.75. This season, as Mason Miller ’s setup man, he has been even better.

Erceg’s four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball and curveball all are improved. His strikeout rate (34 percent) is in the top 6 percent of the league. And while his 1.42 ERA is below his expected 2.42 figure, the latter mark is still in the league’s top 8 percent.

And finally…

Are the Cleveland Guardians for real? Braves right-hander Charlie Morton sure thinks so.

Speaking last Saturday night to The Athletic ’s David O’Brien and other Braves beat writers, Morton raved about his opposing pitcher, Guardians righty Tanner Bibee , as well as the Cleveland team as a whole.

Bibee matched Morton’s seven scoreless innings, striking out nine, walking none and allowing just two hits in a 4-2 Guardians victory.

“Their whole team was really good. I felt like just the vibe over there — it seems like it’s a good squad,” Morton said. “(Bibee) certainly threw the ball really well. I thought he was aggressive with his fastball, had a really good breaking ball, the slider was really good. He struck out a lot of really good hitters.

“So I think that division is going to be there for them, if they can stay on a roll. I got the feeling from them that they’re pretty squared away.”

(Top photo of Cavan Biggio , Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (l-r): Thomas Skrlj / MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Ken Rosenthal is the senior baseball writer for The Athletic who has spent nearly 35 years covering the major leagues. In addition, Ken is a broadcaster and regular contributor to Fox Sports' MLB telecasts. He's also won Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2016 for his TV reporting. Follow Ken on Twitter @ Ken_Rosenthal