News and notes
Arizona Diamondbacks
It’s the same old problem: Getting past the Dodgers, not only on the field but off it.
The Dodgers once again prevailed over the Diamondbacks when they acquired Manny Machado last week. Arizona, which also was one of the teams pursuing the shortstop, trailed first-place Los Angeles by a half-game at the time of the trade.
Without Machado, the Dodgers have won the past five National League West titles, and they swept the Diamondbacks in a division series last year. And even after trading five prospects for Machado, the Dodgers still had the better farm system, according to Baseball America.
Building up the farm system to the Dodgers’ level is a big task general manager Mike Hazen has faced since coming over from the Boston Red Sox two years ago.
❚ Left-handed hitters were 1 for their last 33 against righthanded reliever Archie Bradley before the Rockies’ Raimel Tapia hit a go-ahead grand slam off him in the first game after the break.
Colorado Rockies
Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling might have been just shooting from the hip when he suggested that L.A.’s trade for Manny Machado would leave the team’s rivals “demoralized.”
The Rockies, for their part, plan to mount a spirited challenge.
“We’re the farthest thing from demoralized, I know that,” manager Bud Black said before his team began the second half.
“Teams are going to do what they do,” Black added. “We worry about ourselves, and I think if we play our game we can play with anybody — with Machado or not.” Nolan Arenado sounded a similar theme.
“It’s not the Los Angeles Manny Machados, it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers,” he told The
Denver Post. “They are a team and they are good. But (he’s) just one guy.”
❚ Rookie Garrett Hampson stands to get regular work at second base with D.J. LeMahieu on the disabled list for the third time this year. Athleticism is a strength of Hampson, who joined the team July 21 after LeMahieu strained a muscle in his left side. Hampson hit .312 with five homers, four triples and 10 doubles in 54 games in Class AAA.
Los Angeles Dodgers
A Dodgers uniform suits Manny Machado. “That blue looks pretty good on me,” he told The Los Angeles Times.
Third base also suits him, as it turns out. Machado has said all along that he wants to play shortstop, but when third baseman Justin Turner had to go on the disabled list July 23 because of continuing tightness in his right groin, Machado agreed to take over at third temporarily.
Turner had been out of the lineup 10 days before he started the game on July 22, but he had to exit after 21⁄2 innings. Machado was needed at third because
Max Muncy proved errorprone at that position. ❚ Machado’s arrival freed up
Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez, the platoon replacements for injured shortstop Corey Seager. Though second baseman Logan Forsythe was having a less productive season than those two, in the first series with Machado aboard he got two starts and several other innings at second base.
San Diego Padres
The catching prospect acquired from the Cleveland Indians for All-Star closer Brad Hand is a better hitter than defender, and that’s fine with the Padres.
“We like the bat,” general manager A.J. Preller said of Francisco Mejia, “and we like the potential and ability behind the plate.”
Mejia was sent to Class AAA El Paso (Texas), and Preller told The San Diego Union-Tribune that the club likes something else about the 22-year-old switch-hitter: He played corner infield as an Indians farmhand.
“It’s always nice having guys who give you options,” he said.
Baseball America ranked Mejia 25th among current prospects, and he had a 50game hitting streak two years ago in Class A.
❚ Left-hander Jose Castillo and Class AA right-hander Andres Munoz are among the candidates to offset the loss of Hand and right-hander Adam Cimber, who also went to Cleveland in the trade. Castillo had a 0.79 WHIP (walks/hits per innings pitched) in 13 outings before a right hamstring strain sidelined him July 7. Munoz has been clocked at 102 mph.
San Francisco Giants
Madison Bumgarner had pitched relatively well since recovering from the broken left pinky finger he sustained in spring training, but he had a historically wild outing July 21.
Bumgarner allowed a careerhigh six walks against the Oakland A’s and failed to get an out in the fifth inning, when he walked four — two with the bases loaded.
Bumgarner had never walked in two runs in a game. The early exit ended his streak of 89 games in which he’d gone five innings or more.
Of some concern is his fastball. The average velocity of 91 mph is near his career mark of 91.5, but hitters have slugged nearly .500 off the pitch, according to FanGraphs, and he has been throwing far fewer fastballs than in the past.
❚ Catcher Joey Bart, drafted second overall last month, might be due a promotion after hitting seven homers in his first 64 at-bats in the rookie-level Northwest League.
“He’s a calming presence throughout the season, and he’s super positive. We looked to him, and he’s not worried.” Clayton Kershaw Dodgers left-hander, talking to The Los Angeles Times about how manager Dave Roberts helped the team rebound from a 16-26 start