Just four years after taking the field as an expansion team, a veteran-laden Arizona Diamondbacks roster pulled off what seemed almost impossible: Toppling the three-time defending champion New York Yankees in the bottom of the ninth inning of World Series Game 7 against Mariano Rivera.
A quarter-century later, that rapid rise from desert newcomer to World Series champion is getting an inside look.
Ahead of the 25th anniversary of Arizona’s historic 2001 title, MLB Network will premiere "Destined: The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks" on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. The 90-minute documentary marks the 50th installment in the "MLB Network Presents" series since its debut in 2015, tracing the D-backs' trajectory from their inception in the late 1990s through one of the most dramatic Fall Classics ever played.
For Diamondbacks fans, the film serves as both a time capsule and an unfiltered reflection on how an unconventional roster came together so quickly. Built largely around established veterans, the 2001 club relied on clubhouse chemistry and collective buy-in just as much as its front-line talent.
“'Destined' is more than the story of the 2001 Diamondbacks' championship season,” said Paul Solga, the lead MLB Network producer on the project. “It’s a reminder of what can happen when a group of players commits to something bigger than themselves. I think the film highlights how a team of veteran players, many nearing the end of their careers, overcame adversity on and off the field by trusting one another, knowing their roles and pursuing a common goal.”
The documentary relies on extensive archival footage and new interviews with key figures across the organization, including former general manager Joe Garagiola Jr., manager Bob Brenly and players Jay Bell, Steve Finley, Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace, Damian Miller, Reggie Sanders, Matt Williams, Tony Womack and co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.
The film details the franchise-altering credibility Johnson brought when he signed ahead of the 1999 season, followed by the acquisition of Schilling to form one of the most dominant postseason pitching tandems in Major League history.
In the film, Schilling shares the personal scouting notes he kept in the dugout throughout his starts, offering insight into the meticulous game planning that fueled his October performance.
“When you put the right people in the right room, there is no unachievable goal,” Schilling says during the film. “... I think the 2001 season was the perfect baseball season for that team. ... Everything about it was perfect.”
The film also captures the delicate, heavy atmosphere surrounding that postseason. Played in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the 2001 World Series carried emotional weight that reached well beyond the diamond. The documentary revisits the games at Yankee Stadium, the late-inning heartbreak Arizona suffered in the Bronx and the resilience required to mount a ninth-inning comeback in Game 7, capped by Gonzalez’s bloop single over a drawn-in infield.
In addition to historic highlights, "Destined" incorporates exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from this past September, when members of the 2001 team reunited at Chase Field to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
Following its initial premiere on Thursday, the film will re-air at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on MLB Network.
“The history of Major League Baseball is filled with incredible stories of colorful personalities, memorable teams and iconic games,” said Jed Tuminaro, MLB Network coordinating producer. “All of those are defining traits of the 2001 world champion Arizona Diamondbacks — a team and a story that fittingly is the 50th episode of our signature documentary series, 'MLB Network Presents.'”