Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

The fall brings new beginnings in many different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams.

While the Arizona Diamondbacks season will wrap up in the fall, it marks the tip-off for the Phoenix Suns as well as a puck drop for the Arizona Coyotes in Tempe.

The winding months of 2023 will be an exciting time for sports fans in the Valley, so let’s take a look at some of the key dates:

Friday, Sept. 29 — Sunday, Oct. 1: Diamondbacks’ final regular season series

If you haven’t had the chance to catch a D-backs home game at Chase Field, you still have time to get out to the ballpark.

The Diamondbacks close their 2023 regular season at home against the Houston Astros for fan appreciation weekend.

The D-backs have taken a massive leap forward this season with four MLB All-Stars led by rookie star Corbin Carroll and ace Zac Gallen.

Arizona sat atop the NL West for much of the first half of the season and remains in the Wild Card race. A series of moves at the MLB trade deadline — the team acquired veteran outfielder Tommy Pham and closer Paul Sewald — helped the team to now find itself in the thick of the playoff race in the final weeks of the season.

Friday, Oct. 13 — Coyotes open the 2023-24 season

The Coyotes saw several of their players take serious steps forward last season, and the team aims to continue making progress with a road season opener against the New Jersey Devils.

None showed out more a year ago than Clayton Keller, who tied Keith Tkachuk for the single-season franchise point record with 86.

The biggest surprise, however, was Matias Maccelli, who was third on the team with 49 points and was an NHL All-Rookie selection.

The surprise signing this summer of 2022 No. 3 overall draft pick Logan Cooley and his potential to impact the team immediately adds to the excitement for Arizona, which will play its second season at Mullett Arena in Tempe this year.

Tuesday, Oct. 24 — Suns’ season opener at Warriors

The Suns open their 2023-24 season with a revamped group of three All-Stars. Devin Booker will be joined by Kevin Durant and offseason trade acquisition Bradley Beal. Head coach Frank Vogel enters his first season on the job and will look to complement his trio of stars with center Deandre Ayton and a handful of new faces signed in free agency.

Championship expectations are set with so many changes since owner Mat Ishbia took over in February.

Phoenix is considered by oddsmakers to be in the top tier of the Western Conference, and they open against another fascinating contender.

The Golden State Warriors host the Suns after adding Chris Paul, the midrange maestro who was traded in the Beal deal and redirected to join the Splash Bros. in the Bay.

Every weekday — Trust

It takes trust among teammates and coaches to make an unforgettable run to a Super Bowl or grind through an 82-game NHL season.

Dr. Jay Schwartz at Schwartz Laser Eye Center knows all about trust.

Schwartz Laser Eye Center is the official ophthalmologist for the Suns, D-backs and team LASIK Surgeon for the Coyotes.

Dr. Schwartz has not only aided elite athletes with their vision for decades but has also helped thousands of Phoenicians with their ophthalmology needs by offering the latest in refractive surgery and general eye care.

“I am honored to work so closely with so many of our local teams and players,” Dr. Schwartz said. “I do not take lightly the trust that they have placed in me. I feel the same way about every patient that walks through my door. I appreciate their trust in me and provide the best care I can no matter who I am seeing.”

When you come to Schwartz Laser Eye Center, you know you are receiving nothing short of the best care available. Patients come to the practice from all over the country because of its reputation.

Schwartz and his talented team offer the ultimate care in advanced LASIK technology and a full suite of surgical laser procedures to help you improve your vision and change the quality of your life.

Such as:

• Clear Lens Extraction: Clear lens extraction is a procedure almost identical to cataract surgery. It typically takes about 15 minutes and is performed on an outpatient basis, so you can return home the day of your procedure. You have a choice of several different intraocular lens implants (IOL). The eye doctors will examine each patient’s prescription and listen to his or her personal preferences so that, together, they can choose the IOL that is best for the patient. Best of all, the procedure will not leave you requiring reading, computer or distance glasses afterward.
• EVO + Visian ICL: If you have been told you are not a candidate for LASIK, you may be a candidate for EVO + Visian ICL. For people who want to live without the burden of glasses and contact lenses, EVO+ Visian ICL® offers an alternative route to improved eyes. EVO+ Visian ICL® gives you the freedom of clear, crisp vision. It is a refractive implant designed to correct myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism. This implantable lens offers permanent vision improvement but is also removable.
• LASIK vision correction: Laser vision correction with LASIK can be a life-changing experience. By permanently correcting visual errors, LASIK reduces or eliminates your need for glasses and contact lenses. It corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, which are refractive errors caused by irregularly shaped or curved corneas. The goal of LASIK is to reshape the cornea so it alters the way light enters the eye and vision becomes sharper and more focused. People seeking LASIK in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas trust Dr. Jay Schwartz and the team at Schwartz Laser Eye Center for their vision correction surgery.

The Schwartz Laser Eye Center has also done spring training eye exams for the D-backs, Brewers, Mariners and Cubs, and has seen players from at least seven of the teams in the Valley for spring training this year alone.

With Schwartz Laser Eye Center, you can sharpen your vision and focus on what’s truly important in life like watching your favorite Arizona sports team!

For more information and to make an appointment, visit schwartzlaser.com.