News and notes by Tom Krasovic
Arizona Diamondbacks
In their stretch-drive duel with the Dodgers and Rockies, the Diamondbacks have two apparent advantages: defense and relief pitching.
Sports Information Solutions reported that Arizona’s total of 108 defensive runs saved, if it holds, would be the most since it began compiling the statistic in 2003. The mark of 107 was set by the 2016 Cubs, who won the World Series.
Arizona leads the majors in runs saved at pitcher, catcher and right field. The leader of a three-man platoon, Jeff Mathis is tied for the overall lead among catchers.
The site found that under second-year manager Torey Lovullo, the Diamondbacks have doubled their defensive shift usage this year.
FanGraphs reported that Arizona’s bullpen stood first in adjusted ERA of the 15 National League teams and fourth in win probability added.
❚ Arizona hopes first baseman Paul Goldschmidt will be relatively fresh over the final furlong thanks to Lovullo scaling back his basestealing. “I’ve been very conscious about preserving him,” Lovullo told “The Arizona Republic.”
Colorado Rockies
Nolan Arenado is expected to return this week, perhaps as a designated hitter against the Astros.
But manager Bud Black acknowledged the team will keep close tabs on Arenado, who left the game Aug. 10 because of a sore throwing shoulder. The third baseman, who had been playing even though the shoulder has been tender, exited after turning a double play at second base as a shift defender.
One of the replacements for Arenado, rookie Ryan McMahon, might be better suited to first base but had key hits — including a walk-off three-run homer — in two victories over the Dodgers last weekend. Utility infielder Pat Valaika started for Arenado on Aug. 12.
Arenado, 27, is a four-time Gold Glover whose .976 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) entering this week would be the best of his six-year career. Arenado has a shot at his first MVP award a season after finishing fourth, a personal best, in the vote.
❚ Ace Kyle Freeland is at 146 innings entering his next outing Aug. 17. He logged 156 innings as a rookie last year and 162 as a minor leaguer in 2016.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers might have to slug a path to their sixth consecutive division title. Their relief pitching is having a so-so sea- son, and standout closer Kenley Jansen landed on the 10day disabled list Aug. 11 because of an irregular heartbeat. He was in the clubhouse two days later and said he hopes to pitch again this season but might need offseason heart surgery.
“His health, obviously, is most important,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Roberts said starters Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling will join the bullpen. When Maeda pitched in relief nine times in the 2017 postseason, he responded with a 0.84 ERA and .396 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) allowed.
The help clearly is needed. Dodgers relievers were the culprits in consecutive walk-off weekend losses to the Rockies.
❚ Maeda and Stripling were moved to the bullpen because starters Alex Wood and HyunJin Ryu came off the DL.
San Diego Padres
Jacob Nix’s poised major league debut Aug. 10 sparked excitement. The 22-year-old right-hander pitched six scoreless innings at home against the Phillies.
“A lot of people clam up in those moments,” manager Andy Green told The Athletic. “They get really, really quiet … get really nervous. He was talking all day. You could tell he was comfortable in his own skin. He was bigger than this moment.”
Nix comes from a farm system where the foremost positional strength is starting pitching. He’d gone to the Astros in the 2014 draft as a fifth-round pick, but his $1.5 million deal fell through when Houston’s top pick, Brady Aiken, taken first overall, was found to have an elbow issue.
Ultimately, Nix’s scholarship to UCLA vanished, too. He returned to the draft in 2015, and the Padres took him in the third round.
❚ Wil Myers is expected to come off the disabled list soon — and play third base as the Padres look to build their versatility for next season.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants might shut down pitcher Dereck Rodriguez soon because the rookie right-hander already is within 13 innings of his 2017 total. Regardless, Rodriguez has pitched himself into the Giants’ 2019 plans.
Rodriguez is 3-0 with a 1.28 ERA in his last nine starts and has allowed two runs or fewer in each one. He has a knack for inducing fly outs, including 10 of them Aug. 12 against the Pirates. Yet despite a few heavy flyball games, he has given up only 0.45 home runs per nine innings.
He’s having success with a mid-speed fastball and three off-speed pitches, notably a changeup. He has pitched 80 innings for the Giants this year after 501⁄ in Class AAA.
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❚ Top prospect Joey Bart’s homer in a rookie-ball All-Star game, off a low-inside pitch, sailed far more than 400 feet to straightaway center. He had nine homers in his first 118 regular-season at-bats.
“At times this year, when I was struggling, there was a lot of noise, but it was a lot different kind of noise that I’d never had before. You know, why is he doing this? Why is he struggling?”
MacKenzie Gore Padres’ top pitching prospect, to The Athletic, on the season’s challenges, which included a finger blister. The left-hander had ERAs of 2.25 and 3.13 the past two months in low Class A.