NL West

San Diego Padres right fielder Wil Myers left his team's 8-1 road win over the Colorado Rockies in the third inning after testing positive for COVID-19.

Padres manager Jayce Tingler told reporters the news on Myers, who is asymptomatic. In addition, first baseman Eric Hosmer left the game in the eighth due to contact tracing.

Earlier Tuesday, the Padres announced that Fernando Tatis Jr., Jurickson Profar and Jorge Mateo were placed on the injured list due to MLB's health and safety protocols.

Tingler told reporters pregame that Tatis tested positive for COVID-19 but is asymptomatic. Profar and Mateo were close contacts.

Per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, five of the 12 Padres' position players are now out because of testing positive for COVID-19 or contact tracing.

Tucupita Marcano, who was called up from Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday following the news on Tatis, Profar and Mateo, replaced Myers in the lineup. John Andreoli, who was also placed on the Padres' roster Tuesday, took over for Hosmer.

As for the game, Manny Machado's five RBI paced the Padres, who improved to 20-16. The Rockies fell to 12-23.

It's rare that fans of every baseball team can cheer for a single home run, but that happened Tuesday during a Triple-A game between the Sacramento River Cats and Las Vegas Aviators.

Sacramento right fielder Drew Robinson launched a solo homer in the top of the second inning to give his team a 4-1 lead. It was anything but a typical early game home run, though, as it was Robinson's first since he lost his eye in an attempted suicide.

https://twitter.com/RiverCats/status/1392309502918209541

In February, he talked to ESPN's Jeff Passan about his mental health and suicide attempt in April 2020.

Robinson spent 20 hours alone in his home after shooting himself in the head but eventually called 911. His eye was removed after he was hospitalized, and he was eventually outfitted with a prosthetic one.

He is now back in the minor leagues as he tries to reach the majors again after playing 100 total games for the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals from 2017 through 2019.

The San Diego Padres will be without shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. for the immediate future.

On Tuesday, they announced they placed Tatis, Jurickson Profar and Jorge Mateo on the injured list because of MLB's health and safety protocols. The team will announce corresponding roster moves prior to Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies.

Manager Jayce Tingler told reporters Tatis tested positive for COVID-19, while Profar and Mateo are in contact tracing.

Tatis spent time on the injured list this season because of a shoulder injury suffered during a swing. Fortunately for the 22-year-old and the Padres, he avoided surgery.

In 26 games this year, he is slashing .240/.315/.552 with nine home runs, 14 RBI and seven stolen bases.

While the slash numbers are down from his .277/.366/.571 line during the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves is the only player in the National League with more home runs.

Look for Ha-Seong Kim or Jake Cronenworth to play shortstop while Tatis is sidelined, especially since the versatile Mateo is not an option.

The Padres will also be without Profar, who can play across the outfield and infield. He is slashing .234/.333/.308 with one home run, 10 RBI and five stolen bases in 34 games.

San Diego sits in second place in the National League West at 19-16, which is 2.5 games behind the San Francisco Giants.

The 2021 Los Angeles Dodgers were not built simply to win—they were built to dominate opponents in historic fashion. Yet the reigning World Series champs and winners of three National League pennants since 2017 are somehow reeling after losing 15 of their last 20 games. They had started a scorching 13-2.

Following a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night, the Dodgers are 18-17 and in third place in the NL West behind the upstart San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres.

It seems unthinkable that a juggernaut such as the Dodgers could be just one game over .500. The team seems to be having a difficult time digesting this stretch as well.

Trevor Bauer, the 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner and the club's star acquisition of the offseason, is angry.

"I'm pissed, personally," Bauer said after the loss in Anaheim. "I freaking hate losing. I want to win. That's why I came here. We are not playing up to our capability right now, so I'm mad."

Utility man Chris Taylor said the team is too talented to not get back on a winning path. Manager Dave Roberts seems to be struggling for answers just like everyone else.

The root problem has yet to reveal itself. Sometimes you can look at a team's numbers and see a definitive weakness.

The Angels can hit but can't pitch. Cleveland can pitch but can't hit. The Cincinnati Reds have the best OPS in the NL (.758) but the worst bullpen (5.46 ERA).

While there are troubling trends in Los Angeles, they aren't major enough to say they are costing the Dodgers. It appears to be an issue of moving parts that just aren't moving together.

Should we be worried about the most talented team in baseball? Let's look at a few trends to see which ones are worthy of panic and which ones are not.

   

Offense Panic Meter: Moderate

Here's a fun fact: The Dodgers have scored the second-most runs in baseball and the most in the NL. They have a plus-32 run differential, the best in the NL.

Now, here's a not-so-fun fact: The Dodgers have lost an MLB-high 10 games by one run. In one-run games, they are just 4-10.

So, what's wrong?

The lineup has been inconsistent. Over the last 10 games, the Dodgers have averaged 4.9 runs per game, but that is misleading. The lineup exploded for 16 runs last Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers and 14 six days later against the Angels, but in six of those games, they scored one, two or three runs, and in the other two they scored five apiece. They won only the games in which they scored in double digits.

Yet the Dodgers' .748 OPS is the fifth-best in baseball. Justin Turner is hitting .319 with seven home runs. Taylor, Corey Seager, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy have OPSes over .800. This is impressive considering L.A. is missing Cody Bellinger and key bench players Zach McKinstry and Edwin Rios (injured list).

The one hole in the lineup is second baseman Gavin Lux. He's hitting just .209 with three extra-base hits and zero home runs. He's walked just five times in 93 plate appearances and has struck out in 25.8 percent of them.

Lux, a left-handed hitter, has only had a few chances against left-handed pitching and hasn't exactly passed the test: He's 1-for-16 with six strikeouts and zero walks. It's not uncommon for younger hitters to struggle with left-handed pitching, but Lux was billed as a super prospect, so the depth of his struggles have been surprising.

Lux was so good in 2019—with a 1.028 OPS in 113 Double-A and Triple-A games—that he forced his way onto the major league roster, but he got only one postseason at-bat last season, and it looks like the 23-year-old is still trying to find his big league stride. He's shown some improvements recently, going 8-for-27 with a double and two runs. Now he'll have to show he can continue to improve.

   

Starting Pitching Panic Meter: Low

Dodgers starting pitchers have a 2.97 ERA, which is third-best in baseball.

Bauer, Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias and Walker Buehler have all been as good as advertised. However, Dustin May's elbow injury and subsequent season-ending Tommy John surgery have exposed the Dodgers' lack of depth. Tony Gonsolin, who has been stellar in two seasons as a spot starter, is not close to coming back from a shoulder injury but will replace May when he's cleared to return.

If there is any reason to worry, it's about the back end of the rotation. But otherwise, this is one of the best units in baseball. It sure would help, however, if the Dodgers' suddenly anemic offense gave the starters some run support.

   

Bullpen Panic Meter: High

The Dodgers led the Angels 13-0 on Saturday, only to have the bullpen implode and let the Angels back into the game. The team that actually plays in Los Angeles won 14-11, but it shouldn't have been that close.

At the start of the season, it looked like the Dodgers were so stacked that 2012 American League Cy Young Award winner David Price would have to pitch in relief. The experiment did not go as planned, as he amassed a 5.59 ERA before going on the injured list (hamstring). Corey Knebel (lat) and Scott Alexander (shoulder) are also out with injuries, and Knebel won't be back any time soon.

Joe Kelly recently returned from the injured list, but his first appearance of the season was a disaster. The Angels tagged him for four earned runs over two-thirds of an inning.

Blake Treinen has been good, as has lefty Victor Gonzalez, but Kenley Jansen remains a roller coaster. The 33-year-old closer is 0-1 with a 1.88 ERA, but he's already blown two saves in seven opportunities.

It's tough for Roberts to go to Dennis Santana or the other two left-handers, Garrett Cleavinger and Alex Vesia, right now. They aren't getting outs in big spots. The high-leverage guys have done their jobs, but the Dodgers can't use them unless they're in position to do so, and the low-leverage guys haven't been doing their jobs well. Having only one solid left-hander is limiting.

This is where the Dodgers might be able to improve by using waiver-wire pickups to supplement their relief corps. A big trade would cost them in prospects, and this isn't the time of year to start dealing those.

   

Defense Panic Meter: High

Los Angeles pitchers are having a hard team holding runners on base. The Dodgers are allowing 1.1 stolen bases per game, more than any other team.

The defense goes beyond the basepath. FanGraphs ranks the Dodgers 27th in defensive WAR and 25th in ultimate zone rating. Seager has cost the team two runs, Turner has cost it five, and Taylor has cost it five across his three positions (two in center field, two in left field, one at second base).

Oddly enough, this is where Lux is excelling. He has saved the team three runs, behind only Muncy (five at first base) and catcher Will Smith (four). But the Dodgers need him to start hitting to justify keeping him in the lineup.

   

Overall Panic Meter: Moderate

There is a popular theory in sports called the ketchup bottle theory. At some point, everything that is bottled up will break free. Instead of hitting into outs, batters will push baserunners across the plate.

There are legitimate concerns about the bullpen and the defense, but the Dodgers should be able to hit their way out of this slump. This is what happens when one aspect of a team is stronger than others; when it doesn't perform up to its full capabilities, the weaknesses are exposed.

But on paper, this is still the strongest team in baseball and still the best bet to win the division. DraftKings lists the Dodgers as -400 favorites to win the NL West. The Padres (+250) and Giants (+2200) pose real threats. Both clubs made solid upgrades to be in these positions, but they are not without their weaknesses as well. The San Diego defense is bad, and the Giants are relying on a lot of players over 30.

So here is my hot take: The Dodgers will get past this and go on a tear over the summer, and this dismal stretch will seem like a distant memory.

Well, probably. Maybe. They should be fine. I think they'll be fine.

   

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are slumping, and Trevor Bauer isn't happy about. 

On Sunday, the Dodgers lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Angels, their 15th loss in the past 20 games. After the loss, Bauer sounded off. 

"You can say it's early, no need to panic, and [it's] true, but at the end of the day, we're not going to roll the bats and balls out there and win baseball games," he told reporters. "We're not going to sleep-walk our way to another division title and World Series."

"I'm pissed, personally. I hate losing. I want to win, that's why I came here." @BauerOutage with @kirsten_watson following another solid outing for the #Dodgers. (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 9 K, 2 BB) pic.twitter.com/1fc5V1PSJl

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 10, 2021

"I don't necessarily want to speak for the team," he continued. "But I'm pissed personally. I don't like losing. I want to win. That's why I came here. And we are not playing up to our capabilities right now, so I'm mad."

Bauer, who signed a three-year, $102 million deal to join the Dodgers this offseason, is having a solid season, going 3-2 with a 2.50 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 67 strikeouts in 50.1 innings (eight starts). 

And it's not as though the offense has been terrible this season. The Dodgers are eighth in Major League Baseball in team average (.244) and second in runs (173). And yet, they've now lost five straight series. 

The Dodgers have now lost 5 consecutive series for the first time since August-September of the 2017 season. pic.twitter.com/qxBEguTVRy

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 9, 2021

But the bats have cooled off for long stretches. The Dodgers have scored three or fewer runs in 12 of their past 20 games and in 11 of their 15 losses during the slump. 

Dodgers 2-8 road trip:

16 runs: 1 win
14 runs: 1 win
19 runs: 8 losses

— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) May 9, 2021

"There’s no complacency," manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Sunday. "Guys are grinding. That's who we are. But the bottom line is it's a performance game. We're better than this and we expect to win considerably more games than we lose. (Bauer) has every right to be upset. He's not alone."

The issue for the Dodgers is the rest of the NL West isn't going to wait around for them to kick their slump. The San Francisco Giants are a somewhat surprising 20-14, while the ever-dangerous San Diego Padres haven't been able to take much advantage of the Dodgers' tough start with a 19-16 record of their own. 

At some point, though, the Padres are a threat to take off given their star power. If the Dodgers don't figure out how to get back on the winning track—and soon—they risk being left in the dust.

Colton Welker, the 11th-ranked prospect in the Colorado Rockies organization, was suspended 80 games by MLB on Thursday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

The Associated Press reported Friday the Rockies said they were "disappointed" by the news and also provided a statement from Welker:

"I want to make it very clear that I have never willingly nor intentionally ingested any substance to enhance my athletic performance. Given the information provided to me by the players' association and laboratory, the amount detected was so minimal that it would have no effect on enhancing my performance.

"I understand that a number of other players, like me, have tested positive for this metabolite at microscopic levels, and I intend to join them in seeking answers as to how this is happening in order to clear my name."

The AP noted Welker, whose suspension is without pay, tested positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, which is a form of anabolic-androgenic steroid.

Welker was a fourth-round pick of the Rockies in the 2016 MLB draft. The third baseman spent the first four years playing in the club's minor league system across four different levels. The minors' 2020 campaign was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 23-year-old Florida native enjoyed a strong spring training this year with a .362 batting average, .945 OPS, two home runs and 12 runs batted in across 28 appearances.

He couldn't crack the club's 26-man roster, however, and was set to start the season with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes before the suspension.

In March, Welker credited his 10-pound weight loss, leaner frame and overall spring success on a new carb-free diet.

"I think I can perform at that [major league] level," he said at the time. "I feel confident pretty much against anyone right now."

Welker would have likely been high on the Rockies' call-up list if they suffered infield injuries in the coming weeks. That role now falls to Eric Stamets.

The prized prospect will be eligible to return from his suspension in late July.

One year after losing his right eye in a suicide attempt, Drew Robinson is back in professional baseball after making the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A roster. 

The Sacramento River Cats announced on Tuesday that Robinson was one of 25 players on their Opening Day roster.

Three months ago, Robinson told ESPN's Jeff Passan about his attempt to commit suicide on April 16, 2020, via a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after struggling with mental health issues for years. Robinson spent 20 hours alone in his home after his attempt before he called 911 and was taken to a hospital.

He told Passan he'd hid his mental health struggles for most of his life but that his suicide attempt and subsequent and ongoing treatment have helped him be more open and take a new outlook:

"I don't have it all figured out, but I'm working on it. It's not something that you just achieve. You don't just achieve self-growth. You don't get to a point where you just have it and you don't have to work at it again. It's not like a tool that you just get and you just have it forever. You don't get to a point where, 'Oh, I'm happy today. That's it. I'm going to be happy for the rest of my life.' It's the same way in the opposite. 'I had a rough day.' That doesn't mean the rest of your life is going to suck."

The 29-year-old had his right eye removed as a result of the injuries he suffered from the gunshot and has been outfitted with a prosthetic eye. He signed a minor-league deal with the Giants in November with the hope of resuming his professional baseball career. 

Speaking to Passan after making the River Cats' roster, Robinson said he will have "a hard time staying asleep last night because of how excited I am for these games and this experience as a whole."

A fourth-round draft pick by the Texas Rangers in 2010, Robinson has appeared in 100 MLB games between the Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. 

Sacramento will begin the regular season on Thursday against the Las Vegas Aviators. 

Clayton Kershaw is one of the best pitchers of his generation and a surefire future Hall of Famer.

He was anything but that Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers ace pitched a single inning during his team's 7-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs in the first game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field. ESPN noted it was the shortest start of his career, just edging out another short start on a May 4 when he pitched 1.1 innings against the Washington Nationals in 2010.

Kershaw allowed four runs, four hits and two walks in Tuesday's frame.

His Cubs counterpart, Kyle Hendricks, was much more effective and allowed one earned run while striking out six in the complete seven-inning showing.

It wasn't the first time Hendricks outperformed Kershaw at Wrigley Field, as the pair faced off against each other in Game 6 of the 2016 National League Championship Series. Kershaw took the loss while allowing five runs, two home runs and seven hits in five innings, while Hendricks was brilliant and allowed two hits in 7.1 shutout innings.

The victory clinched a spot in the World Series for the Cubs, where they eventually won their first championship since 1908.

Tuesday was Kershaw's second subpar start of the season, as he allowed five earned runs and 10 hits in 5.2 innings during an Opening Day loss to the Colorado Rockies. Since then, he allowed four total runs in his next five starts and threw three shutouts.

"Everything was bad," the southpaw said after the game. "I'm not going to try to analyze it too much and just hope that this one was an outlier and get ready for the next one."

The powerhouse Dodgers are now just 4-11 in their last 15 games and one game back of the San Francisco Giants in the National League West race.

Colorado Rockies star Trevor Story exited early against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday after getting hit by a pitch in the top of the eighth.

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reported that Story was hit on the index finger of his right hand by Chris Devenski and did not take the field for the bottom of the inning. He was 1-for-3 with a hit, run and two RBI in addition to the walk.

The Athletic's Nike Groke reported that early X-rays were clear of a fracture.

Alan Trejo moved to shortstop to fill the hole in the field, while Ryan McMahon went to second and Josh Fuentes entered the game at third base. The Rockies ended up falling to the Diamondbacks, 8-4.

Story, who survived an offseason that saw franchise star Nolan Arenado traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, has been a major piece of the Rockies infield since he made his MLB debut in 2016.

In 2020, he slashed .289/.355/.519 with 15 stolen bases, the most in the National League. He brought that success into the early parts of 2021, with a .283/.336/.495 slash line and 16 RBI.

General manager Jeff Bridich acknowledged Story's contributions in February, saying that the Rockies "certainly cherish having Trevor as our shortstop."

A first-round pick (No. 45 overall) by the Rockies out of high school in 2011, Story will earn $17.5 million in base salary this season.

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. has put up an impressive stat line in his first 162 games.

The league announced Sunday that the 22-year-old is the first player to post at least 40 home runs and 30 stolen bases in that time frame. 

The shortstop has hit seven home runs and stolen five bases through 19 games this season—his third in the league—to accomplish the feat. 

His 162nd game came Saturday in a 6-2 victory against the San Francisco Giants, when he walked, stole a base and scored twice. 

Tatis is slashing .236/.317/.569 with 11 RBI this year.

He earned a Silver Slugger nod in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign after hitting .277/.366/.571 with 45 RBI, 17 home runs and 11 stolen bases, numbers that could have surpassed his strong debut from 2019 in a season that was limited by injuries.

As a rookie, Tatis blasted 22 home runs with 16 steals and 53 RBI, hitting .317/.379/.590. He finished third in voting for the league's Rookie of the Year award.

While there have been several other players who have starred similarly—nine players since 1961 have had at least 77 combined steals and home runs according to the Elias Sports Bureau—Tatis is the only player to post the 40-30 split (h/t Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune). 

The star will have the chance to keep making history with the Padres, who signed him to a $14-year, $340 million deal in February.