12 months 3 of Main League Baseball’s balanced schedule introduced with it an attention-grabbing wrinkle: The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, the game’s most heated rivals in the meanwhile, did not face one another in March, April or Could — the primary time that had occurred in 25 years. As a substitute, they performed seven occasions over the course of 11 days in June, a stretch that noticed six video games determined by not more than three runs and one spill right into a benches-clearing fracas.
This month, the Dodgers, Padres, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks, the highest 4 groups within the Nationwide League West, staged 17 video games in opposition to each other in a span of 18 days. Three of them aren’t any worse for the wear and tear. The Dodgers enter Monday holding a 3½-game lead over the second-place Giants; the D-backs, navigating some devastating pitching accidents, stay in fourth place. However the Padres slid. They dropped 5 of seven to the Dodgers and now sit in third place, 5 video games off the lead.
Moments after the finale at Dodger Stadium concluded Thursday night time, Padres third baseman Manny Machado marveled on the competitors that surrounds his staff.
“This division’s freaking superior, and it is going to be a enjoyable experience happening the street,” he stated. “The Giants acquired higher with [Rafael] Devers, and we all know what these guys [the Dodgers] have on the opposite aspect. And what now we have on this aspect. And clearly you possibly can’t rely out Arizona. They have a very good staff over there. They are going to be battling. It is a four-headed monster battling it out, so it will be an attention-grabbing second half.”
There may not be a greater division in baseball, and there is undoubtedly not a extra attention-grabbing one. On the backside is a Colorado Rockies staff that, regardless of a latest four-game profitable streak, stays on tempo to set the single-season report for losses, one yr after the Chicago White Sox went down in infamy. On the prime is a Dodgers staff lavished with star energy however burdened by harm. In between are three fascinating golf equipment in their very own proper.
Listed here are the 5 largest takeaways from the wild NL West race in the meanwhile, and what every may imply shifting ahead.
The Dodgers-Padres feud has reached a brand new degree
Down 5-0 heading into the ninth inning on Thursday, the Dodgers had already begun to empty their bench, kind of waving the white flag. Many of the followers at Chavez Ravine had already filed out. It appeared as if L.A.’s finale in opposition to the Padres, the final assembly between these two groups till August, would conclude with out incident.
Then all the things modified, nearly as if the universe wouldn’t permit it.
Fernando Tatis Jr. took a fastball to his proper hand within the prime half of the inning, marking the third time the Dodgers had hit him in a span of 10 days. Padres supervisor Mike Shildt screamed towards the opposing dugout as he got here out to verify on his star proper fielder. Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts sprinted onto the sector and shoved Shildt in response. Each benches and bullpens emptied. Within the backside of the inning, Padres nearer Robert Suarez plunked Shohei Ohtani in the fitting shoulder blade with a 100-mph fastball, making Ohtani the eighth batter hit of their four-game collection. After the mud had settled, Machado stated the Dodgers had higher “pray” the scans on Tatis’ proper hand come again unfavorable. (They did.)
The Padres have publicly tried to downplay their matchups in opposition to the Dodgers lately, solely to constantly strategy them with a clearly heightened depth. The Dodgers have tried to behave as in the event that they’re above it, solely to get caught within the feelings, too. There is no hiding it anymore: These groups don’t like one another. The Padres know their street to NL West supremacy runs via the Dodgers; the Dodgers know the Padres stay one of many largest obstacles of their hopes of repeating.
This rivalry has shortly grown over the previous 5 years, and but there already appears to be a lot historical past — with one of the best doubtless nonetheless to come back.
Two-way Ohtani is again (kind of)
The sight of a “100” popping up on the radar gun Tuesday introduced some uneasiness, each from Dodgers officers and Shohei Ohtani himself. On one hand, it was good to see him discover velocity like that after practically two years away from pitching. On the opposite, he clearly wasn’t purported to push that arduous.
Ohtani’s return to the Dodgers’ rotation was much less about his timeline being expedited and extra about altering the setting of his rehab. Throwing simulated video games earlier than serving because the designated hitter later that night time was extra taxing on Ohtani’s physique than pitching and hitting concurrently, prompting him to push to pitch in video games that rely as a substitute. The Dodgers have been high quality with that plan as a result of, given Ohtani’s two-way designation, he primarily counts as an additional pitcher. However they nonetheless want him to watch out. And so they do not anticipate him to be stretched out to one thing near a conventional beginning pitcher till after the All-Star break, which was the preliminary goal.
Living proof: Ohtani was as soon as once more restricted to 1 inning in his second begin on Sunday, though he threw simply 18 pitches.
“We’re at all times going to be cautious,” Roberts stated. “I do not know what that even appears to be like wish to be absolutely constructed up. I do not assume anybody is aware of what that even appears to be like like, as a result of he isn’t a standard beginning pitcher.”
The Dodgers have had a very troublesome time navigating via pitching accidents as soon as once more this yr, however they’ve lastly obtained some higher information on that entrance. Emmet Sheehan made his return from Tommy John surgical procedure earlier this week; Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell have every been throwing off a mound and making progress. However the Dodgers’ relievers proceed to guide the majors in innings by a large margin, with bullpen video games nonetheless required a couple of times per week. Reinforcements cannot come quickly sufficient.
After an absolute stunner, the Giants have the man they wanted
He was pulled off the Boston Purple Sox staff airplane and knowledgeable that he had been dealt from the one main league group he had ever identified, not lengthy after homering in a sweep-clinching victory in opposition to the New York Yankees. However folks near Devers described a person who appeared elated within the aftermath of his stunning commerce to the Giants. All of the drama that surrounded him in Boston, self-inflicted or in any other case, was out of the blue behind him.
The next day, whereas being welcomed by staff staff and getting an Oracle Park tour from Barry Bonds, Devers was all smiles. The identical may be stated for Buster Posey, the Giants’ new president of baseball operations, and virtually anyone else affiliated with the staff. As a result of for as dominant as their bullpen has appeared, and for a way fearsome the one-two punch of Logan Webb and Robbie Ray has turn out to be, what the Giants wanted most, evaluators believed, was a middle-of-the-order bat — particularly one who can take over at first base. Earlier than the Devers acquisition, the Giants had obtained solely a .335 slugging share from the place.
Devers started taking grounders at first base instantly, one thing he was unwilling to do in Boston. The plan is for him to start out enjoying the place each time he begins to look snug — and keep there no less than till prime prospect Bryce Eldridge graduates to the key leagues.
The Giants started final week ranked third within the majors in ERA however 14th in runs scored. Matt Chapman was nursing a hand harm. Willy Adames held a .201/.284/.340 slash line within the early a part of a $182 million deal. Jung Hoo Lee and Mike Yastrzemski have been offering a mixed .634 OPS for the reason that begin of Could. The offense was a serious concern. Now, it has new life.
The Padres want one other bat
For the reason that begin of Could, solely 4 groups have a decrease OPS than the Padres. The trio of Tatís, Luis Arraez and Xander Bogaerts is slashing a mixed .250/.315/.363 throughout that point. Jackson Merrill, in the meantime, spent most of final week recovering from concussion-like signs, throughout which the Padres misplaced three of 4 to the Dodgers. San Diego has gone from one sport out of first place to a half-game again of the ultimate wild-card spot in a span of 12 days.
The Padres have some actual pitching considerations in the meanwhile. Michael King’s standing is unsure whereas navigating via a pinched nerve round his proper shoulder, a uncommon harm for a pitcher, and the staff’s six most essential relievers have already appeared in additional than 30 video games every. However the Padres’ largest want forward of the commerce deadline, and what rival evaluators anticipate them to prioritize, is offense.
Today, they give the impression of being particularly top-heavy. The Padres have obtained solely a .585 OPS from the Nos. 7, 8 and 9 spots of their lineup, decrease than each staff besides the White Sox. Beginning pitching may emerge as a serious want if King, at present in a relaxation part, would not present progress over the following month. However at present the clear goal is left area.
Jarren Duran, Luis Robert Jr. and Taylor Ward are among the many extra outstanding names who may very well be accessible there. The Padres’ farm system, nevertheless, is skinny past Leodalis De Vries and Ethan Salas, the latter of whom has been coping with a stress response in his again. A.J. Preller should get inventive. He has been identified to.
The D-backs are nonetheless in it — for now
The Diamondbacks received 4 in a row main as much as the morning they discovered ace Corbin Burnes, their $210 million offseason splurge, would bear Tommy John surgical procedure. They adopted by dropping three straight. Then profitable 5 straight. Then shedding three straight once more. With the commerce deadline 5 and a half weeks away, they’re one sport over .500, eight video games out of first place and sitting behind 4 groups for the ultimate spot within the wild-card standings.
D-backs normal supervisor Mike Hazen is fielding numerous calls from rival executives considering his staff’s pending free brokers — however at this level, they have been instructed to attend.
If the D-backs do determine to unload, they’ll drastically change the dynamic of the commerce deadline. Need a beginning pitcher? They’ve Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Want offense? Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor match any staff looking for energy on the corner-infield spots. Bullpen want upgrading? Shelby Miller and his 2.03 ERA may assist.
Hazen needs his gamers to offer him a purpose so as to add earlier than the commerce deadline, not subtract, however they have to be higher in a mess of the way. Their protection, historically a energy beneath longtime supervisor Torey Lovullo, has been sloppy. Their bullpen, which has misplaced nearer Justin Martinez and setup man A.J. Puk to elbow surgical procedure, has the fourth-highest ERA within the majors. Their rotation has seen Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt mix for a 6.34 ERA.
