Dodgers flex muscle; visit the DL

One month into the Los Angeles Dodgers 2015 campaign and two things stand out: LA has some pop in their bats and they are having a hard time staying off the disabled list.

The Dodgers have smacked 32 homers this season, tops in the National League and one ahead of Cincinnati.

Third starter Hyun Jin-Ryu and closer Kenley Jansen started the season on the DL and hope to return in May. Starting pitcher Brendan McCarthy started the season with a deceiving 3-0 record but is out for the rest of the year with an arm injury. Mr. Everything Clayton Kershaw is struggling with a 1-2 record and 3.73 ERA in five starts.

Zack Greinke, on the other hand, looks like a Cy Young winner with a 4-0 record and 1.93 ERA to start the season.

Outfielders Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig are on the 15-day DL, which has allowed Andre Ethier and Scott Van Slyke some playing time. Ethier, once thought to be on the trading block as the odd man out, is hitting .304 and Van Slyke is hitting .393. Depth in the outfield is proving to be a strength.

Rookie Joc Pederson is starting to demonstrate why he is getting the start in center. Pederson is hitting .298 with four dingers and 10 RBI and has demonstrated great range in the outfield.

Adrian Gonzalez started the season on fire, hitting .383 in April with eight homers and 19 RBI.

Howie Kendrick (.295) and Juan Uribe (.278) are holding their own while shortstop Jimmy Rollins (.185) is 15 points below the Mendoza Line.

Subs Alex Guerrero (.423) and Justin Turner (.273) are providing punch off the bench. Guerrero has gone yard five times and is making it hard to keep him out of the lineup.

A definite liability last year, a young bullpen is holding its own with relievers Yimi Garcia, Adam Liberatore, J.P. Howell, Pedro Baez, Juan Nicasio and Joel Peralta holding their own.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal is contributing behind the plate but is hitting a paltry .189.

The Dodgers are using several young starters until Ryu gets back to fill out the starting rotation.

The Dodgers go into May with a three-game set against Arizona on Friday night.

In April, the Dodgers played seven three-game series and won five of them. San Francisco took a three-game sweep April 21-23 and Arizona took a 2-1 series in Phoenix April 10-12.

The Dodgers swept Seattle and Colorado and took two of three against the Giants in LA this past week. LA also won two series against San Diego, which figures to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West.

San Diego, Colorado, Arizona and San Francisco are all within striking distance of the first-place Dodgers as the pack has yet to see any team take a commanding lead in the standings.