PHNX Arizona Diamondbacks Podcast - EXCLUSIVE: Blaze Alexander Talks Diamondbacks Postseason Push, Seizing His Opportunity

Episode Date: September 19, 2025

JOIN THE SUPPORTERS CLUB ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/yc6km2r4Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Blaze Alexander joins the show to break down the team’s final postseason push, the opportunity he’s seized since the trade deadline, and what it means to do it alongside the teammates he’s grown with throughout his professional career. Blaze also shares what it’s like to reach the big leagues with his brother CJ, plus he offers to help Derek and Damon honor their latest bet. An ALLCITY Network ProductionSUBSCRIBE to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/phnx_youtubeALL THINGS PHNX: http://linktr.ee/phnxsportsMERCH https://store.allcitynetwork.com/collections/phnx-lockerALLCITY Network, Inc. aka PHNX and PHNX Sports is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by the City of PhoenixPHNX Events: Get your tickets to PHNX events and takeovers here: https://gophnx.com/events/ALLCITY — including us here at PHNX — is teaming up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America for an exciting three-year partnership. To learn more, visit https://www.bbbs.org/allcity/APS:  Find instant rebates, discounts and special offers on smart thermostats, energy-efficient appliances and more at https://marketplace.aps.com/default/heating-cooling/smart-thermostatsBranded Bills: Use code BBPHNX at https://www.brandedbills.com/ for 15% off your first order!Zen Leaf: Visit our friends at Zen Leaf (http://zen-leaf.store/phnx) for 50% off using promo code ZENPHNXSpencer’s Appliances: Visit Spencerstv.com and use code PHNX5 for 5% off appliances OR use code PHNX10 for 10% off TVs, audio and mattressesChicken N’ Pickle: Family friendly fun awaits! Visit chickennpickle.com to plan your visit today!Phoenix Raceway: Tickets, hospitality and upgrades are still available for the NASCAR Championship Series October 31st through November 2nd! Visit the link HERE to get yours now!Visit Mountain America Credit Union to learn more about their MyStyle Checking Accounts!bet365: https://www.bet365.com/hub/en-us/app-hero-banner-1?utm_source=affiliate&utm_campaign=usapp&utm_medium=affiliate&affiliate=365_03485317 Use the code PHNX365 to sign up, deposit $10 and bet $5 to get $150 in bonus bets!Disclaimer: Must be 21+ and physically located in AZ.  If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-NEXT-STEP, text NEXTSTEP to 53342 or visit https://problemgambling.az.gov/Branded Bills: Use code BBPHNX at https://www.brandedbills.com/ for 20% off your first order!Gametime: Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code PHNX for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.Shady Rays: Head to https://shadyrays.com and use code: PHNX for 35% off polarized sunglasses. Try for yourself the shades rated 5 stars by over 300,000 people.Circle K: Join Inner Circle for free by downloading the Circle K app today! Head to https://www.circlek.com/store-locator to find Circle Ks near you!Monarch Money: Use Monarch Money to get control of your overall finances with 50% off your first year at https://www.monarchmoney.com/phnxAll Pro Shade Concepts: Call 623-204-1476 or visit https://allproshadeconcepts.com/ now to schedule your free estimate!When you shop through links in the description, we may earn affiliate commissions. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Well, welcome into a special edition of the PHNX Diamondbacks podcast. I am your mayor of PHNX, occasionally known as Derek Montaia, but it's not about me. It's about this guy next to me. The one, the only Blaise Alexander joining us today to chat about this team. Dude, thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate you giving us a little bit of your time. Absolutely. Appreciate you guys having me.

Hey, man. How are you feeling first and foremost? We know you took that pitch. We didn't see you miss any time, but we were just wondering, how's the arm feeling? Oh, it feels good. It'll sore the last couple days, but, you know, every day's better. You know, I'm wearing an elbow guard now, so hopefully that doesn't happen again, but we're good, man.

Does that playoffation? I don't want to miss any games. Oh, for sure, for sure. And we, we, I think, all appreciate that 100%, especially with this season having gone the way it's gone and all of the guys that have missed time due to injury. But does that impact you at all? like now having to wear an elbow guard, do you feel like differently? Like you have to adjust to that?

Not much different. I mean, the reason I didn't wear it was like the comfort level. You know, you start getting some base hits without it and you don't want to like, you don't want to switch up, put anything else on. But no, I throw it on. You know, I don't want to get hit an elbow again. One, it didn't feel good. And two, like I said, I don't want to miss any time.

I want to be out there. We got, you know, nine or so games left, whatever it is. And, yeah, I just I want to be healthy and, you know, able to. to perform for this team. For sure. And I don't think most of us can even relate to how much it hurts to get hit by a pitch in like your elbow like that. Like that seems terrible.

And what was your initial reaction? Like, was your initial reaction like that it was that you were going to miss time or that it was like worse than maybe it was? I mean, I'm going to be, my initial reaction when it hit my elbow was I broke my freaking elbow. Yeah.

My whole arm went numb and I was just like, I was like, things were running through my head. And I was like, dude, like, Like, I'm out of here, you know, but, but no, all good. I kind of probably overreacted a little bit, but, you know, it's still hurt. You know, Tori and Max, you know, they were calming me down a little bit. And they're like, can you just finish out, finish out run these bases right here? We'll check it after.

And I was running the bases, like straight arm. Couldn't bend it or anything. And then came right out, x-rays and stuff. X-rays were clean. So that was kind of just like a reassurance that, like, hey, it's, you know, it's a contusion. There's guys out there playing with way worse. so I'm all good. Yeah, especially at this time of the year, man.

I imagine there's a lot of guys. I mean, everybody's playing hurt in some way. And, I mean, the injuries have just piled up for this team this year. And it's been a big, you know, it's been a big reason why this season has been a disappointment. But on the other side, this has provided opportunities to guys like you and Jordan and guys like Nabil. And, I mean, you even experienced your own injury that caused you to miss time as well. So, you know, how, how much? much does it mean to you personally to be playing these meaningful baseball games right now

with these nine games left at a major league level? Yeah, you know, it's amazing. It's something, you know, I dreamed about kind of, you know, obviously dreamed about getting the playoffs, but like I feel like, I feel like we're in the playoffs right now. You know, every game is the most important game, you know, every pitch, every pitch is important. So, you know, it's awesome. You know, it's way better than, you know, obviously playing meaningless baseball. it's you know we're out there and you know like I said every pitch every inning matters you know

every run we can score like it's it's awesome this is this is why I play you know well and it's you know it's a combination too because you know this opportunity was due to the situation but you've been killing it man and I mean you've been doing a great job no matter what it seems like has been asked of you no matter where you've been playing and so like it's just it's that weird combination of an opportunity coming up due to injuries and other things that occurred with the trade deadline yet you and these other guys are a big reason why this team is in this position. So it's it's just been a fun situation from the outside watching you guys all come together. And also for you to do it with this particular group of guys, this group of guys that you kind

of have come up with and played on not just this team, but many teams within the organization together. Oh, yeah. Yeah, what is that? I'm enjoying it. Like I said, you know, I played with these guys in Hillsborough, you know, low-A, low-A, high-A, double-A, triple-A, and, yeah, I mean, we'd always, you know, watch the D-Back games, like, we'd watch the D-Backs games just wanting to be there, you know, and now, you know, we're being big contributor to the team. And like I said, man, this is, that's why you get drafted. That's why you play this game, you know, for. Yeah, for sure.

times like these. And also you've, again, like I said, you've killed it all over the place. I have to ask, is there a position you actually like to play? Is there a position that you feel like you are more comfortable at? Or do you just kind of love this super utility thing you got going on? Yeah. So I think, I mean, I'm definitely more used to playing on the dirt. So I'd say like third base is, you know, the spot I really enjoy playing.

But, you know, being out in center field, it's a totally different different. different game, you know, even left field, totally different game than I've ever played and, you know, I've been used to. And it's new, it's fun. You know, you go out there, you're on the grass in the outfield and you're just being an athlete and kind of letting your athleticism show. So it's, I'm enjoying that. Like, third base would probably be, you know, the most comfortable spot. But like I said, I don't, it doesn't matter to me. I told Tori, told Tori and those guys in spring training, like, if you want me to pitch, like, I just, I want to be, I want to be, I want to be this roster. Yeah, and, you know, here we are. We're in crunch time. And it doesn't matter.

Throw me wherever. Throw me, you know, first base, wherever you need me. I'm going to get it done. Put me out there in the bullpen. I'll be out there. I'll be warming. Why not? I come in in the eighth. Shoot. Well, like, dude, you love baseball. And like that, you exude the love for baseball, right? Like, it's, I don't even have to ask you that. I know, based on the way you talk about it, the way, you know, the catch that you made in the outfield that that is just this highlight real catch like it was amazing because it felt like you know obviously you made an incredible catch but it also felt like you know 10 seconds later you were as excited about it as the rest of us and you were just kind of like geeking out over

the fact that that that you made that and that it was such an amazing play like it it's just it's a lot of fun to watch you play and I mean that doing stuff like that it seems like you're just a highlight reel wherever you go Yeah, I think that's valuable, you know, like, especially against, you know, left-handed pitchers. You know, you want to get a lot of, like, righties in there. And, you know, now they know, you could throw me out there. Late game sub, you know, a left-handed, left-handed pitcher comes in the eighth inning. It's like, hey, I grab an outfield glove and go out there, you know.

So I think it's just, it's helping the team, really. Yeah, and your team has a lot of versatility your teammates do as well. Like, it feels like you have a lot of guys that can play a lot of different positions. positions do a lot of different things. DHS that can switch into the game. And I feel like, again, that's been a big part of your recent success, has been guys like Ildemara Vargas and James McCann and some of these guys and their versatility as well. Tawa. Tawa could play anywhere alone.

Argi could play anywhere. Like, we're just ballplayers, man. We don't have a specific position. You know, we're just players. We're out there and we just want to win. You and Tawa had one inning where the two of you, it was all three outs were like a highlight reel. it felt like between the two of you. And like you were making some great plays,

but I felt like it was understated what Tawa was doing over there to, you know, grab those balls and ensure that that play was completed. There's no doubt. First basements don't get some of the love they deserve, you know. We make a highlight play over there, you know, me and Domo on the left side and, you know, make a low throw, throw kind of offline.

And, you know, those guys make us look good. And I'm appreciative to them. Well, you're also a big fan of your brother, CJ. And I love that. I love, you know, you guys, your appreciation for each other and just the way that you guys kind of, you know, want to make sure everybody sees what both of you are doing. But how cool is it for you guys to be doing this together and how happy are your parents right now? How proud are they? My parents are so happy, you know, actually, you know, I was hanging out with them, you know, all day yesterday, you know, had the kid over and stuff and kind of looked at them.

I'm like, dude, we're, you know, we're doing this. You know, this is, it's not something we didn't think we could be doing, but like we're in the moment now, you know. He's had his ups and downs, a couple, you know, little injuries here and there. But that's my guy, man. That's my, that's my off-season partner, you know, my best friend, training partner, and that's my favorite baseball player. So, who knows, maybe next year, you know, maybe the Diamondback sign them,

you stick him over there at first base or something, and I think that would be pretty electric, man. And he's a big left-handed hitting bat and real smooth guy who could really play anywhere, corner guy, third base, first base, corner outfield. And yeah, I know it's kind of might not happen, but, you know, I'm kind of hoping for that. I think it would be really cool. Let's put it out there in the universe and make it happen. We do need a first baseman.

Make it happen. First baseman, just saying. He's a big dude, too. He's like six, so. I love it. I love it. Well, we do have a few questions from some of our diehards. And, of course, there were a lot of them.

So we picked a few here, but our guy Ruggner wants to know. I know this is probably a very commonly asked question, but what has been your favorite part being up your second time? And what was, what did you take away this time that you didn't when you came up the first time last year? Yeah, I think I'm just, I'm more in the moment, you know? I think, you know, last year coming up, like I was new to, new to D-Hing, you know, kind of at that point, new to kind of moving around a little bit.

It wasn't necessarily playing every day. It's kind of platoonant, which, hey, it's part of it. You know, I'm not the only guy that had to go through that or do that stuff. But, yeah, I think I'm just really enjoying just knowing my name's in the lineup. I'm, you know, no matter where I'm playing, you know, I'm in that lineup. And, you know, I have an opportunity to contribute to the team. And, yeah, definitely just my growth, you know, I think, you know, coaching staff, training staff. Like, I'm just a whole lot more comfortable in that locker room, you know.

I'm in there dancing around now. You wouldn't really see me doing that last year. It's kind of more like trying to be locked in. And now it's like, you know, I'm like obviously I'm locked in at all times. But, you know, I'm having more fun. I'm being myself. You know, I'm not trying to be someone. I'm not.

Now I'm just, you know, I'm embracing who I am. And yeah, I'm out there and just giving them hell, man, enjoying it, having fun and smiling. I love it. I love it. Well, from our guy, Sean, he said, from a personal standpoint, how proud are you to be in this position given? the adversity you faced and the circumstance of having to wait your turn to get the chance at everyday reps at a major league level yeah super proud i mean if you if you ask me this in uh you know spring training when i got heard i i wouldn't know that you know that i was in this situation

a lot of things you know had to happen obviously the trade deadline you know some injuries but uh you know i'm super blessed and uh yeah i think you know i just just always stayed ready you know you never know when your opportunity is going to happen. And, you know, when it happened, you know, I wanted to make sure that, you know, I take full advantage of it. And, yeah, I remember, you know, when all the things were happening, trade deadline stuff, we were in Sacramento and Hayeson kind of came in. And just one thing that kind of stuck with me is like, hey, like a lot of you guys are,

you're getting your opportunity now. So don't come into spring training next year, you know, saying you just want an opportunity. like it's right now and that's something that stuck with me you know every day I come to the ballpark and you know I'm getting that opportunity and I'm just trying to take obviously you know full advantage of it and yeah you know I'm just again happy happy I'm getting the opportunity all right we got one more from you from our guy Russell and he just wants to know how you're feeling about this stretch where you are just both also trying to win and also having to

kind of wait for other teams to lose potentially in order to catch up. Is it just a matter of taking care of your own business and letting the chips fall where they may at the end of the season? Yeah, I think, you know, if we take care of our own business, you know, I mean, we could win out, you know what I mean? We could win out and not even have to worry really about other teams. And, I mean, I guess unless the Mets went out too, but, you know,

I mean, we can win out and kind of, in a way, control our own destiny, you know. So every day we come in, I'm not worried about the Mets. You know, if they lose, hey, cool. but, you know, we got to come in and we got to get the job done every day. We got to come in, you know, I mean, focused, focused and, you know, determined to win every day, win every pitch. And, yeah, I think we're in a really, really, really cool spot, I think. Well, we have one more piece of business to take care of.

And I want to thank you for making me stick to my word and dye my beard, right? I think it looks good. You know what? It's, it wasn't a bad look. Damon and I, I still don't learn my lesson. though. David and I have foolishly made yet another bet of sorts. We've stuck to

our little bit. We've said that if you guys do the thing, we're not going to talk about the thing, but if you do the thing and the thing happens, Damon and I are going to get like eyebrow slits like Cattel has and I have said I would even go as far as to maybe get my hair cut a little bit like his.

It's a mess under here right now. So just just in solidarity with our second basement. But those things I love it, Dave. You know? We got our team bar. We're here. Come see him. All right. Just tell him I want Citell's cut and he'll take care of it. All right. Well, we're going to have to figure that out. All right, man. But hey, enjoy the Sour Patch kids. They are the best candy ever. So I'm glad we see Ida on that. And bro, we appreciate you. Joining us also, we appreciate you killing it out there on the field. So keep doing the big thing. And we will keep, we'll keep cheering for you here. Absolutely, Derek. I appreciate it. Big fan of the show and I appreciate you guys having me on. Thank you, man. Appreciate your time.