I’m switching to fWAR for this part of the analysis. This is simply because Fangraphs has better tools for splitting production into rotation and bullpen components, than Baseball Reference. But whichever metric you choose, the 2004 team was the better side, though the gap is smaller by bWAR. In fWAR, however, the 2004 Diamondbacks ranked 13th in the league, with a total value of 10.6 fWAR; the 2021 team came in dead-last, at 4.0 fWAR. The relievers for the two seasons were similar in (lack of) production, both coming in below replacement level. 2004 were -0.8, while 2021 were -1.
The Diamondbacks in 2004 vs 2021: Pitchers
