Maeda returns to form as LA blanks D-backs

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers’ starting rotation consists of three All-Stars, alternating flamethrowing prospects and Kenta Maeda, whose spot for the third consecutive year seems to be on borrowed time.

Mired in a 10-start drought that saw him go 0-6, Maeda on Saturday night showed he can still start, can still pitch deep into a game and even win one, this time a 4-0 combined shutout of the D-backs.

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The Dodgers played the last eight innings on Friday night without a hit and the first 1 1/3 innings Saturday until Max Muncy homered off Alex Young, his 28th and eighth off a lefty, this one estimated by Statcast at 429 feet. Muncy also homered in Maeda’s previous win against Philadelphia.

“By getting the win tonight, I was able to bring myself up and get more confident,” said Maeda, who fired seven scoreless innings on three hits with six strikeouts, winning for the first time since May 31 against Philadelphia.

Maeda (8-8) was typically diplomatic when asked whether he’s already thinking about being the starter who gets sent to the bullpen to bolster a relief corps that has been inconsistent all season. Maeda said nobody from the club has said anything about the bullpen to him yet.

“The postseason is a whole different story,” said Maeda. “I’ll think about it once we get there. As of now, my job during the season is to pitch as a starter. That’s not really on my mind.”

Not winning, however, has been on his mind. The winless stretch of nearly 2 1/2 months hasn’t been all on him. He’s been victim of lack of offensive and defensive support. But particularly since the All-Star break, he’s lacked conviction in throwing his fastball, manager Dave Roberts said, something Maeda improved on against the D-backs.

“You can see the awkward swings they were getting,” said Roberts. “He was striking the fastball, getting ahead, getting back in the count with the breaking ball. To give us seven innings, good for our ballclub, but more importantly for his confidence. The way he threw the baseball, you can see it with the left-handers especially, the way they were taking the fastball or were late on the fastball. His fastball has life. When he throws it for a strike, located, it beats the bat and it makes everything else play up.”

While he went seven innings, Maeda displayed in the first three innings why management lands on him for high-leverage relief. He was perfect through the first nine batters, allowing only one ball out of the infield.

“I thought we had a decent thought process walking into this game,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo. “He was just throwing balls off the edge of the plate, crowding us when he needed to at the right time. Just really didn’t give us a chance to get some extension and do the things that we do best.”

Maeda said since his previous start -- which lasted only 2 2/3 innings against the Padres -- he worked with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt on raising his arm slot, adjusting his pitch mix and general approach.

“My pitching mechanics did go a little off, but I was able to adjust that and I executed on the offspeed and the fastball today,” he said.