A busy week in the National League West was marked by a few All-Star starting pitchers getting sidelined, and a few roster shakeups among the under-.500 teams in the division.
San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb, who led the National League in innings pitched in each of the last three seasons, including leading the majors in 2023 and 2025, was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with right knee bursitis. The Dodgers got an All-Star pitcher back in their rotation in Blake Snell, but he returned one start early — to a rusty first outing back — because another All-Star, Tyler Glasnow, was placed on the IL with back spasms.
San Francisco shakeup
The Giants continue to flounder, last in the majors in runs scored (3.25 per game) and 29th in wRC+ (83), but made a few roster moves with an eye toward the future this week. First was calling up 21-year-old slugger Bryce Eldridge, the consensus top-50 prospect, last Monday for an extended look. Eldridge started five games .. at designated hitter and hit his first major league home run on Saturday, in a game San Francisco lost by 10 runs.
On Saturday, the Giants traded starting catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians for pitcher Matt Wilkinson — with the incredible and apt nickname Tugboat — and the 29th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. While Bailey was otherworldly defensively with his two Gold Glove Awards, he hasn’t done much with the bat, a career .224/.282/.329, 72-wRC+ hitter who was hitting just .146/.213/.183 this year. Though you might remember him from his only home run this year, a three-run bomb off Jack Dreyer to beat the Dodgers on April 22, or Bailey’s walk-off grand slam last September off Tanner Scott.
Steven Kennedy wrote about the Giants Bailing on Patrick for McCovey Chronicles.
Deserted
The Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday designated center fielder Alek Thomas for assignment, jettisoning the rangy defender who was hitting just .181/.222/.340 with a 53 wRC+ in 100 plate appearances this season and a career .273 on-base percentage in five major league seasons. That opened the door for consensus top-100 prospect Kyle Waldschmidt to get his first major league opportunity.
Arizona only allowed 10 runs in their six games this week, but still managed to lose three times, thanks to an offense that scored nine runs on Tuesday but only 10 runs over the five games since. Another D-back struggling at the plate is Ketel Marte, who received National League MVP votes in each of the last few years and finished third in 2024. Through Sunday, Marte is hitting just .212/.268/.370 with a 76 wRC+ this season. Jim McLennan at AZ Snake Pit examined what’s wrong with the three-time All-Star.
Divisional notes
NL West standings
Dodgers 24-16, – –
Padres 24-16, – –
D-backs 19-20, 4.5 GB
Giants 16-24, 8 GB
Rockies 16-25, 8.5 GB
The week ahead
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Dodgers: vs. Giants (4 games), at Angels
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D-backs: at Rangers, at Rockies
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Giants: at Dodgers (4 games), at A’s
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Rockies: at Pirates, vs. D-backs
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