PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo has heard the “Frog Man” jokes since he described his blood as friísimo like a frog during an MLB Network interview in April.
So when the opportunity came up to double down after his walk-off single against the Dodgers on Tuesday night, he went in another direction.
“No, it’s snake, it’s snake blood,” Perdomo joked. “Snake.”
D-backs’ Geraldo Perdomo has snake blood now. pic.twitter.com/XvnMrX9Sxl
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 24, 2025
Perdomo actually explained on Dodgers star Mookie Betts’ podcast last month that the frog reference came from small frogs back in the Dominican Republic, and that’s just what came to mind. Whatever cold-blooded critter he chooses to emulate, the point stands that Perdomo and the Diamondbacks have been clutch down the stretch of the season, and his game-winning knock on Tuesday may have saved their playoff chances.
Arizona’s postseasons odds on Baseball Reference climbed from 15.8% to 25% with the win, which paired with a Mets victory and Reds loss on Tuesday. Arizona is truly one game back now with five left.
The ninth inning unfolded as well as the Diamondbacks could have hoped for without recording a single hit until Perdomo came up to bat. The D-backs were down a run entering the ninth inning with the bottom of the order due up, and they executed to get back to the top.
A hit-by-pitch, walk, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly that tied the game set the table for Perdomo against Dodgers closer Tanner Scott. With the winning run on second base, Perdomo worked a 3-2 count and lined a single to left field.
“The way he controls the strikes zone, the way he gives a quality at-bat, there’s not a lot of guys that I would trust more than him in a big spot,” veteran catcher James McCann said of Perdomo.
Three of the Diamondbacks’ last four victories have been comebacks, including two walk-off wins after four-run deficits. The D-backs climbed out of 4-0 holes against the Giants and Dodgers within the last week and won the game.
And over the last month, the stats back up that this group has been one of the most clutch teams in Major League Baseball.
Diamondbacks coming up clutch
In high leverage, which quantifies points in a game when the win probability can shift, the Diamondbacks are hitting .327 as a team since Aug. 19. That ranks fourth in MLB.
The Diamondbacks are batting .305 with runners in scoring position in that same span, which is fifth. McCann is 4-for-7, Corbin Carroll is 9-for-22 (.409), while Perdomo and Gabriel Moreno are each 9-for-27 (.333).
Their .778 OPS in innings 7-9 comes in at sixth, with a third-ranked batting average of .283.
For whatever reason that does not translate to extra innings, which has been a problem, but this team has faced ample opportunities to roll over in some of these games and hasn’t. In the postseason, it takes role players stepping up in a big moment to get through rounds, and that is what this stage of the year has presented.
“You see guys every night, different guys making contributions,” McCann said.
In the words of Jordan Lawlar, they have been the “Never Say Die-mondbacks,” and manager Torey Lovullo said this group fights as hard as any team he’s managed.
“That to me what this game is all about, when your competitive best is needed at the most critical time, you can rise up to the occasion,” Lovullo said.
Geraldo Perdomo among National League’s most valuable players
Tuesday’s game was a showcase for the top two players in the National League by WAR.
Shohei Ohtani was filthy, as he tossed six shutout innings for the Dodgers, while Perdomo recorded two hits including the game-winner.
Chase Field will show stat leaders before games on the video board, and Lovullo has not been able to help but notice Perdomo climbing the WAR rankings.
Via FanGraphs WAR, Perdomo is second in the National League with 6.9, trailing Ohtani’s 7.2
On Baseball Reference, Perdomo leads NL position players with 6.8, ahead of Ohtani’s 6.4 (as a hitter, to be fair).
“ I said that word (elite) one time in my office when I was talking to the front office about a month ago,” Lovullo said.
“Usually I say things and they shake their head at me like I’m a cuckoo bird, but nobody shook their head at me that day. I think we were all watching somebody emerge and turn into a very, very good player. I threw him into that elite category. … I look up there every day and he’s got a 6.8, 6.9 WAR. And those are among the best players.”
Perdomo said it has been fun to be included in conversations with the best players in the sport, especially considering where he came from.
“I never expected I’m gonna have a lot of success early my career. I feel like God proved to everyone what he’s been doing with me so far, even when people didn’t believe in me when I had my bad season in 2022,” Perdomo said. “I’m never gonna give up. I’m always gonna work hard. It doesn’t matter if I perform bad or good, I’m gonna be the same kid.”
Perdomo promised that whether they make the playoffs or get left out, the Diamondbacks will play hard through the finish.
There is no guarantee they reach October, but the team believes it can win these playoff-like games, and that is proving to go a long away against all the odds.
