Dodgers: Four Players Who Stepped Up in Month of May

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May 13, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Alex Wood (57) delivers a pitch in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

May has been kind to the Dodgers. They’ve won 18 of their 26 games so far this month, which has propelled them to within reaching distance of the Colorado Rockies. Within this hot stretch, there have been players who’ve also hit their stride and those who’ve hit walls.

The Dodgers’ depth has been tested early on. With players going down here and there, others must step up. For a good chunk of May, the Dodgers were surviving without at least two starting pitchers.

The services of Logan Forsythe and Adrian Gonzalez were also absent, while Andrew Toles went down for the season. Justin Turner recently went down along with Joc Pederson, though both should return shortly. However, these injuries opened up spots for players like Cody Bellinger and Alex Wood. Both who have made it onto the list of best players for the month of May.

Here are the four players that took their game to another level this month.

Alex Wood

No one can ask for a better month than what Alex Wood’s done. In four of his five starts in May he hasn’t allowed a run, currently giving him a 25 1/3 inning scoreless streak. He’s thrown 28.1 innings this month and has a 1.27 ERA in them. He’s also amassed 41 strikeouts and collected wins in all of his starts.

Wood showed signs of improvement in Spring Training but was snubbed from the starting rotation when Opening Day came around. He had a few emergency starts in April which weren’t too impressive. But, since a combination of injuries from Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda, and Hyun-Jin Ryu left the Dodgers short on arms, he’s made the most of his opportunity.

Wood’s contributions in May have lowered the team’s ERA to the lowest in the majors. He and Clayton Kershaw have formed a stable duo at the top of the rotation, with Brandon McCarthy looking sharp as well. Wood’s success can be attributed to his ability to keep the ball down and a dramatic increase in his overall velocity. Wood’s success has also come with a consistent spot in the rotation, and if he keeps pitching like he is he won’t leave.

The southpaw’s ability to go deep into games hasn’t been proven yet, with his high in innings being seven-and-a-third, but it may not be needed. With potential long men like Ryu, Stripling, and perhaps Urias or Hill, getting five or six solid innings from Wood would be plenty enough.

The one damper on his month is being put on the DL.

Yasmani Grandal

Earlier this year, I predicted that Yasmani Grandal would bat at least .290 and Joc Pederson would hit 25 home runs and bat at least .275. Though the latter is yet to follow through, Grandal has shown signs of achieving the .290 mark in May.

After a slow start in April, he’s only done the opposite in May. He’s hitting a scalding .351, with a pair of home runs and 16 RBI. He had a nine-game hitting streak snapped by a pinch-hit appearance but proceeded to follow that up with another nine-game hitting streak.

Although Grandal claims he has no idea why he’s hitting so well all of a sudden, the cause can be traced back to Spring Training. He loosened his grip and brought his hands a little closer to his body.

However, there was a lot of movement which generated weak or no contact. He still kept the same adjustments and quieted his hands, which have given him more bat control. Though the power numbers are down, hitting in the .350s is a good way to make up for it.

Unfortunately, Grandal’s due to cool off at some point, especially since he’s an everyday catcher. Still, if he keeps the adjustments and continues progress with his swing, the .290 mark is not an outlandish prediction.

Cody Bellinger

The rookie sensation is cooling off, but he’s had a great month, not just for a rookie, but for a player. He’s hit nine homers in the month, launching him into the team lead with 11. He’s also driven in 27 runs and hit just under .270 during that time.

Sunday’s game against the Cubs proved his ability to hit all types of big-league pitching. He blasted a three-run home run off of left-handed ace Jon Lester, while Adrian Gonzalez got the day off. Bellinger hasn’t been as hot of late, so the home run shows he’s able to bounce back quickly, a sign of a true hitter in the majors.

The 21-year old’s sizzling first full month in the majors has solidified his position as a mainstay in the Dodgers’ once crowded outfield. However, due to Andrew Toles going down for the year, Scott Van Slyke’s struggles, and Andre Ethier’s slow recovery, it looks like Bellinger’s golden opportunity has turned into a call for dependence on the rookie. And so far, he’s followed through.

With Yasiel Puig unable to hit fastballs, Andrew Toles out for the season, and Joc Pederson going from the DL to struggling to make solid contact and back onto the DL, the Dodgers’ outfield offense is almost entirely generated by Bellinger. Hopefully, Bellinger can continue his hot hitting, and the rest of the outfield can pick up some of the offensive production.

Chase Utley

As Ken Jeong introduced him, the “Silver Fox” has come alive at the right time. With Justin Turner and Joc Pederson out, Chase Utley will see much more time at second. Despite getting off to a bad start, he’s proving himself to be reliable when the Dodgers need him the most.

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For a while, Utley was looked at as a waste of a roster spot. However, his leadership and clubhouse presence were too valuable to throw away. Now he’s given everyone another reason to stay on the roster. In May, he’s batting .306, which shoots his average above the Mendoza Line. He hit home runs in back-to-back games against the Cubs and hit his third in four games yesterday. He has smacked a few key hits throughout May.

Utley’s timing of his performance is another example of the “next man up” mentality this 2017 Dodgers club has shown. Last season, the Dodgers were blindsided with so many injuries, and despite running on pure will until the NLCS, they eventually ran out of gas.

Next: Front Office Looking Like Geniuses

This year, it seems everyone in the clubhouse is ready for their shot to contribute. This may be the factor that will get the Dodgers further into the postseason.

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