Dodgers Dugout: Are the Diamondbacks for real?

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Losing two out of three to the Yankees always feels bad, but losing two out of three when you win the first game makes it even tougher.

Let’s take a look at the Dodgers’ NL West competition this season. When the season began, almost everyone (including this newsletter), figured it was a two-way race between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres. But that hasn’t been the case. A look at the standings after Monday’s games:

Dodgers, 35-25
Arizona, 35-25
San Francisco, 29-30, 5.5 GB
San Diego, 28-32, 7 GB
Colorado, 26-35, 9.5 GB

There are still around 100 games left in the season for each team, so a lot can change, but let’s check in on those teams now. This is not a comprehensive look at each team, but a quick check-in. We’ll do a fuller look when the division race develops more. Numbers are through Sunday’s games.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Runs per game: 4.95 (Dodgers: 5.52)
Batting average/OB%/SLG%: .259/.324/.431 (Dodgers: .242/.330/.459)
ERA: 4.32 (Dodgers 4.45)

The Diamondbacks have been the surprise team in the West and perhaps all of baseball. How are they doing it? They have two standout starting pitchers in Zac Gallen (7-2, 2.75) and Merrill Kelly (7-3, 2.80). On offense they have several solid hitters, including Rookie of the Year candidate Corbin Carroll (.286/.373/.523), along with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (.310/.359/.550) and Christian Walker, who leads the team with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs. Statistically, they are slightly inferior to the Dodgers, but they are doing all the little things needed to win.

Top five hitters, ranked by OPS+
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., 147
Corbin Carroll, 145
Geraldo Perdomo, 134
Ketel Marte, 123
Christian Walker, 118

San Francisco Giants
Runs per game: 4.51 (Dodgers: 5.52)
Batting average/OB%/SLG%: .247/.319/.417 (Dodgers: .242/.330/.459)
ERA: 3.99 (Dodgers 4.45)

The Giants have solid starting pitching so far, with a 3.87 rotation ERA, second in the NL. The Dodgers are seventh at 4.32. Their closer (Camilo Doval, 2.10 ERA, 14 saves) and setup man (Tyler Rogers, 1.86 ERA) have been good, though the bullpen overall is almost as erratic as the Dodgers. They have six batters in the lineup with a positive OPS+ with the big drawback being a terrible offensive year so far by Brandon Crawford (.190/.286/.343).

Top five hitters, ranked by OPS+
LaMonte Wade Jr., 142
J.D. Davis, 133
Joc Pederson, 130 (on the IL)
Thairo Estrada, 121 (on the IL)
Michael Conforto, 120

San Diego Padres
Runs per game: 4.10 (Dodgers: 5.52)
Batting average/OB%/SLG%: .221/.313/.381 (Dodgers: .242/.330/.459)
ERA: 3.82 (Dodgers 4.45)

The Padres went all-in on spending in the offseason, but their offense has been atrocious. Manny Machado is having his worst season, batting only .222/.275/.353 with five homers. Their starting catcher most of the season, Austin Nola, is hitting .131 with a 22 OPS+. Their pitching has been good, especially closer Josh Hader, who has a 1.61 ERA and 13 saves, giving up only nine hits in 22 1/3 innings.

Top five hitters, ranked by OPS+
Juan Soto, 154
Fernando Tatis Jr., 127
Ha-Seong Kim, 105
Xander Bogaerts, 105
Rougned Odor, 102

Colorado Rockies
Runs per game: 4.48 (Dodgers: 5.52)
Batting average/OB%/SLG%: .259/.318/.403 (Dodgers: .242/.330/.459)
ERA: 5.12 (Dodgers 4.45)

For a team that plays in Denver, the Rockies certainly don’t hit all that well. Their home run leader is Ryan McMahon with nine. They have four guys with a positive OPS+ (not counting the guy who has only 30 at-bats). Their “closer” Pierce Johnson has a 6.85 ERA, though amazingly has only one blown save. Austin Gomber has made 12 starts and has a 6.99 ERA.

Top five hitters, ranked by OPS+
Randal Grichuk, 123
Elias Días, 115
Ryan McMahon, 108
Charlie Blackmon, 107
Kris Bryant, 87 (on IL)

Random thoughts

—I understand the philosophy behind it, but it’s tough to see Bobby Miller come out of Sunday’s game against the Yankees after giving up one hit in six innings. Something has been lost when you can no longer root for a starting pitcher in the eighth or ninth inning. Or a starting pitcher working on a shutout, relying on guile and guts. I don’t remember often thinking to myself “Wow, those five pitchers really slowed down the Giants!” But I do remember “Wow, Burt Hooton really battled through 8 1/3 innings!” Plus, judging by Dustin May, Walker Buehler and many others, babying a pitcher doesn’t seem too effective.

—During Sunday’s game, ESPN spent more time analyzing Aaron Judge‘s catch where he crashed through the bullpen gate than they did analyzing the Astros cheating scandal. They sent Eduardo Perez out there to say things that were blatantly wrong, like saying one side of the bullpen gate hasn’t been opened in years. I’ve seen it open many times before games. He also pointed out a crack and hinted Judge was responsible for it. That crack has been there for years. They actually took what was an amazing catch and detracted from it with their nonsense.

—I admire Joe Davis’ ability to call Dodger games on Fox and show no signs of favoritism.

—The Dodger bullpen has been far too erratic this season. I understand why they stick with these pitchers, since almost all of them were solid last season. But it has to be cleaned up soon.

—At the start of the season, I pointed out that if the Dodgers go 6-4 every 10 games, they will finish with 98 wins and definitely make the playoffs. 6-4 doesn’t seem like much, but it’s a good barometer for a team. Let’s see how they are doing after 60 games:

First 10 games: 5-5
Second 10 games: 5-5
Third 10 games: 7-3
Fourth 10: 8-2
Fifth 10 games: 6-4
Last 10: 4-6
Record: 35-25
Should be: 36-24, so not too far off. They are currently on pace to win 95 games.

Who is Jonny DeLuca?

Trayce Thompson went on the IL on Sunday and was replaced by Jonny DeLuca. Who is he?

DeLuca is 24 and was drafted out of Oregon by the Dodgers in the 25th round of the 2019 draft. He has moved quickly up the minor leagues. He hit 22 homers in A ball in 2021, 25 homers at A and double A combined in 2022. This season he started at double-A Tulsa where he hit .279/.380/.590 with 10 homers in 32 games. He was promoted to triple-A Oklahoma City, where he hit .315/.375/.548 with four homers in 73 at-bats. He walked 21 times and struck out 38 times in 49 games this season, so he has a good batting eye and doesn’t strike out a ton. He hit only .226 in college, which is why he was a 25th-round pick, but it seems the Dodgers found something in his swing they will fix.

Will it translate to the majors? Impossible to know. We’ll have to wait and see, but things look promising.

These names look familiar

How members of the 2022 Dodgers who are now with other teams are doing this season (through Sunday). Tap on the name of the player to be taken to their full stats.

Batters

Hanser Alberto, White Sox: released by Chicago last week

Eddy Alvarez, Brewers: in the minors

Cody Bellinger, Cubs: .271/.337/.493, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 7 homers, 124 OPS+, on the 10-day IL because of a knee injury

Joey Gallo, Twins: .188/.321/.478, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 11 homers, 120 OPS+, on the 10-day IL

Jake Lamb, Angels: .216/.259/.353, 1 double, 2 homers, 67 OPS+, in the minors

Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .278/.384/.424, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, 127 OPS+

Kevin Pillar, Braves: .259/.289/.518, 4 doubles, 6 homers, 113 OPS+

Edwin Ríos, Cubs: .071/.235/.214, 1 double, 1 homer, 25 OPS+

Justin Turner, Red Sox: .265/.349/.403, 11 doubles, 6 homers, 103 OPS+

Trea Turner, Phillies: .232/.276/.366, 14 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 76 OPS+

Tony Wolters, Twins: in the minors

Pitchers

Tyler Anderson, Angels: 2-1, 5.47 ERA, 52.2 IP, 59 hits, 25 walks, 33 K’s

Garrett Cleavinger, Rays: on the 60-day IL

Andrew Heaney, Rangers: 4-3, 4.03 ERA, 58 IP, 48 hits, 25 walks, 60 K’s

Heath Hembree, Tigers: in the minors

Tommy Kahnle, Yankees: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 K

Craig Kimbrel, Phillies: 3-1, 5.32 ERA, 22 IP, 15 hits, 11 walks, 33 K’s, 8 saves

Chris Martin, Red Sox: 1-1, 1.62 ERA, 16.2 IP, 13 hits, 2 walks, 12 K’s

Reyes Moronta, Angels: in the minors

David Price, retired

Mitch White, Blue Jays: on the 60-day IL

What Vin Scully meant to me

Last season, after Vin Scully died, I asked readers to send in what he meant to them. I ran them the rest of the season and wanted to circle back and run the rest, which will take a few weeks at least. If you wish to contribute (if you sent it to me last season, I still have it, so no need to send again), please email it to houston.mitchell@latimes.com and put Vin Scully in the subject line.

From John E. Núñez: My first ever job was assisting Jimmy the Newspaper Boy, who soon taught me how to read the baseball standings, and, because I had never listened to a Dodgers game, he “assigned” me that task for later that night. It was a thrilling 2-1 Don Drysdale victory over Juan Marichal that night in April of 1965. I never expected to find myself listening as intently as I did. And it was probably the second inning when I subconsciously had found a new mentor — another father figure, Vin Scully. He was upbeat yet dignified. I felt that he was on our team, but he was always respectful and appreciative of the opponent’s players and coaches. Not only did he and his partner, Jerry Doggett, keep my ears glued to the radio, but with every pitch in the ninth inning, my eyes were fixed on the radio.

Fast forward to 1986. I am a father now with bills to pay, a bread vendor (just until I hit the big time as a musician). The bread route was tricky. It requires meeting each store’s awkwardly set receiving hours, or miss the store altogether. One morning as the sun rose, exiting my van at my first stop in Pacific Palisades, I see Vin Scully, merely yards away, strolling toward my direction. Instead of walking up to greet him, I trotted in an ellipse toward the receiving door while twisting my body to my right, waving while shouting “Hi Vinny!” As I had turned toward him, Mr. Scully stopped in his tracks with arms outstretched as if to both greet the sun and to stop for a conversation with me, but I kept on hustling toward the door. I never saw him face to face again.

Because of my obedience to duty, (for duty must be done), I robbed myself of the chance to meet him, and to convey my own Vin Scully memory. The story of when my childhood friend Robert Candipan received a reel-to-reel tape recorder for his birthday, and we proceeded to earnestly create and record our own bottom of the ninth “broadcast,” live from City Terrace, starring me as Vin Scully, Robert as Jerry Doggett, and Raymond Rivero doing sound effects.

When we were done recording, Robert rewound the tape as we settled down on the rug, seriously anticipating the play-back of a stellar recording, because we knew that we did our best to impersonate the tone, pitch and personalities of our characters. Raymond was just freelancing. The replay began. At that point, we looked at each other with our eyes and mouths wide open, and we all began to laugh uncontrollably. I had just heard my recorded voice for the first time ever, then Robert’s, and they were pitched exactly one octave higher than the men we so admiringly imitated. We listened on and it got even more hysterically funny.

I think Vinny would have laughed too, if I had taken a minute out of my life to visit with him.

Up next

Tuesday: Dodgers (Tony Gonsolin, 3-1, 1.77 ERA) at Cincinnati (Luke Weaver, 1-2, 5.36 ERA), 4:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Dodgers (Noah Syndergaard, 1-4, 6.54 ERA) at Cincinnati (*Brandon Williamson, 0-0, 4.29 ERA), 4:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Thursday: Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 7-4, 3.25 ERA) at Cincinnati (Graham Ashcraft, 3-4, 6.64 ERA), 9:35 a.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Dodgers’ bullpen is a statistical mess. Here’s what’s working and what isn’t

Roger Craig, coach who taught split-fingered fastball and pitched for Dodgers, dies at 93

Dodger Stadium game-day workers protest, threaten to go on strike

Hernández: What happened after the Dodgers let three key players leave? They got better

And finally

Tommy Lasorda gives his opinion of Kurt Bevacqua. Warning: Extremely not safe for work or for children because of language. Watch and listen here.