NL West notes: Melancon, Dodgers, Bryant

Diamondbacks closer Mark Melancon Taking his fifth loss on Saturday – an impressive stat considering he’s entered the year with 30 losses in the previous 13 seasons – manager Tore Lovolo answered somewhat ambiguously when asked if the four-time All-Star will remain in the closing role (Via Jose M. Romero from Arizona Republic). “We’re still having some discussions about its availability,” Lovolo said, while also accepting responsibility for some of Melancon’s struggles, which came amid a heavy workload. Melancon spent a week on the Covid roster from April 29 to May 6, then appeared in six matches in a nine-day period after being activated. He scored 10 runs in 3 2/3 runs during that time.

Signed by the D-backs to a two-year, $14 million contract over the winter, Melancon has succumbed 14 times (11 gained) on 20 hits and five runs with only four strikes in 11 2/3 frames so far. His fastball, which averaged 92.2 mph in 2021, is now falling at 90.8 mph. Melancon’s swing and chase rates are actually better than last season’s marks, though, and he was plagued by an average of 0.396 on balls in play. If the Diamondbacks go in another direction, veteran Ian Kennedy He’s very experienced and is second in the team with five suspensions, having been Lovullo’s primary eighth-stroke option thus far.

Some other notes from the division…

• Left Dodgers Clayton Kershaw And Andrew Heaney Director Dave Roberts said at yesterday’s briefing (Twitter links via Fabian Arda Athletic). Kershaw felt some slight soreness while playing but could be removed from the pen session by Wednesday. There is no specific day given for the Heaney Bullpen, but he was playing as well. Kershaw has a 1.80 ERA through five starts and 30 runs this season but was recently relegated to the shelf with a hip problem that was treated with an epidural. Heaney has been out since mid-April with shoulder issues but he opened a lot of eyes early in the Dodgers’ tenure. In 10 1/3 innings, Heaney only allowed an unearned four-stroke and three walk with a massive 16 hit. Heaney colorized a slider with a new look in place of his previous curve ball and after he called off his makeover entirely, he posted a whopping 20.5% swing hit rate and 36.5% opponents chase rate before landing on IL. He signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Dodgers early in the season. Kershaw signed a one-year, $17 million deal to return shortly after the lockdown was lifted.
• Chris Bryant She joins the Rockies’ Triple-A for two minor league rehab matches this week, Tweets Daniel Allentock of the Denver Gazette. If all goes well, he could be back in the Rox lineup by the end of the week. Since April 26 due to a back injury the team had hoped would require a minimum stay, Bryant would instead end up missing more than three weeks of work, at least. As written by Nick Grok of The Athletic,Bryant received a cortisone shot last week after an initial period of rest that did not completely cure his illness. Bryant’s return can push the militants Sam Hilliard To Triple-A, especially with out of options Jonathan Dazas He’s hitting really well at the moment thus giving the team a fourth option on the field. benefit Garrett Hampson He is also capable of playing all three external locations, although he was primarily used as a player in 2022.