Game #57 Preview: 6/8, Arizona Diamondbacks @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Rubby De La Rosa RHP, 4-2, 5.09

Mike Bolsinger RHP, 3-1, 1.98

Ender Inciarte - LF	Joc Pederson - CF
A.J. Pollock - CF	Justin Turner - 3B
Paul Goldschmidt - 1B	Adrian Gonzalez - 1B
Yasmany Tomas - RF	Howie Kendrick - 2B
Jake Lamb - 3B	Yasmani Grandal - C
Chris Owings - 2B	Alex Guerrero - LF
Welington Castillo - C	Andre Ethier - RF
Nick Ahmed - SS	Jimmy Rollins - SS
Rubby De La Rosa - RHP	Mike Bolsinger - RHP

If you has said before the season that on June 6, a pair of members of the Dodgers' rotation would have an ERA below two, that probably wouldn't have shocked anyone. If you added that one would be Zack Greinke, that would likely have got a nod of understanding and the reply, "The other's Clayton Kershaw, right?" Wrong. The other is former D-back Mike Bolsinger, who has made six starts and looked almost entirely unlike the player who wobbled his way to a 1-6 record in nine starts and one relief outing for Arizona last year, putting up an ERA of 5.50, getting himself to the Dodgers for the legendary "Cash considerations."

But if ever a pitcher has "unsustainable" on his resume, this would be it. Bolsinger is actually striking out considerably fewer batters than last year, with a K-rate down from 8.3 to 6.9 per nine innings, and a walk-rate that virtually unchanged (2.9/3.0). What he has done, is cut his home-run rate to less than half of what it was (1.2 to 0.5). Looking at his HR/FB rates, last year's was more than a tad unfortunately, but this year is about as far below MLB average, as Bolsinger was above it. He has also been pretty lucky with his BABIP (.255), and managed to get more double-play balls than you'd expect, given a GO/AO ratio which is almost unchanged. (1.65 to 1.75).

So, winter is coming, Mike Bolsinger. The only question is, whether it will be this evening at Dodger Stadium, as he faces his old team for the first time. The cracks are showing: he's winless in his last two outings, with a K:BB ratio over them if 6:6 in 11 innings, which is a lot of walks and not many strikeouts.