Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers quiet critics with three shutouts

The 2016 season couldn’t have started any better for Los Angeles Dodgers hurlers, who entered the year with a variety of question marks.

While the rotation of the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks experienced a surprisingly rocky start, the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ pitching staff has been historically effective to begin the 2016 campaign. Considering each team’s respective offseason moves, some may have expected the opposite to be the case.

The Dodgers set a franchise record on Wednesday night by shutting out the San Diego Padres for the third consecutive game to start the year. The team’s previous high mark to start a season was 23 scoreless innings, set in 1974. The only other squad to record three shutouts to kick off a campaign was the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals, who went on to stretch their scoreless streak to 32 frames.

The Padres made history of their own, but not the kind teams relish. In failing to score a run in the season’s first 27 innings, this year’s Friars exceeded a mark set by the St. Louis Browns back in 1943.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw set things in motion on Opening Day, limiting the Padres to only one hit over seven innings of work. Louis Coleman and Yimi Garcia each tossed a scoreless frame to secure the 15-0 drubbing.

On Tuesday, free agent signee Scott Kazmir opened his Dodgers account in style, one-hitting San Diego in six innings. Pedro Baez, Chris Hatcher and closer Kenley Jansen slammed the door over the final three frames, allowing just one more hit while fanning six to close out a 3-0 victory.

Kenta Maeda‘s MLB debut last night may have been the most impressive performance of the bunch, however. The Japanese right-hander blanked the Padres over six innings and even added a solo homer to his own cause in the fourth. Garcia, J.P. Howell and Joe Blanton held the Friars hitless in the last three innings to tie a ribbon on a 7-0 win.

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It was a picture-perfect opening series for a Dodgers club that entered the season with its fair share of question marks. Not only did the pitchers shine, but the offense put a whopping total of 25 runs on the board over the course of the three contests.

L.A.’s rotation faced a wave of uncertainty after the stunning offseason departure of Zack Greinke. One of the team’s chief issues last year was its relatively uninspiring pitching staff outside of Greinke and fellow Cy Young contender Clayton Kershaw.

If he stays healthy, Kershaw should have no problem leading the way with another banner season (remember, he’s still only 28). However, the additions the Dodgers made over the winter to address the rest of the rotation were hardly slam dunks. They brought in 32-year-old Scott Kazmir, who despite an overall solid record of late scuffled a bit after a midseason trade to the Houston Astros. Maeda’s resume in Japan was certainly impressive, but he was ultimately an unknown commodity in terms of Major League Baseball.

Those two definitely appeared up to the task of following Kershaw in their first outings of the season. It’s worth noting that the Padres are hardly an offensive juggernaut: in 2015 they finished 23rd in the league in runs (650) and 28th in OPS (.685). The series also took place in the pitcher’s paradise that is Petco Park. But holding any team scoreless over an entire three-game set is a recognizable achievement.

The Dodgers bullpen also deserves its share of the praise. Last year the group often seemed highly suspect aside from Jansen. In its first eight innings of work this season, Dodgers relievers have surrendered only four hits and one walk while striking out 10.

Next: Cubs, Astros ready for next step

There will surely be some bumps in the road ahead, but the Dodgers have to be thrilled with the early returns on its pitching staff. They will try to keep the good energy flowing when they visit the Giants in San Francisco next.

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