ESPN: Robbie Ray could be key for D-backs NL West title

In each of the last five years, the Los Angeles Dodgers have won the NL West in convincing fashion averaging an eight game lead at the end of each season.

This year appears to be a dog fight as the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and Dodgers jockey for the NL West title separated by just three-and-a-half games with less than 40 games left on the schedule.

ESPN.com senior writer David Schoenfield identified the key players who could help their team to the division title and for the D-backs, one of those players was starting pitcher Robbie Ray.

The swing-and-miss rate on his fastball is down about 5 percent from 2017, and thus his OPS allowed on his fastball has increased from .705 to .853. His overall strikeout rate remains strong, but if he can better locate his fastball down the stretch, he could go on a big run.

The D-backs have struggled as a team losing six of the last seven games when Ray was the starting pitcher. Ray posted a 4.54 ERA, .232 opponents’ batting average, 20 walks and 39 strikeouts in that time span.

Oddly enough, Ray has only earned the loss in one of those six games. Overall he has a 3-2 record on the season with a 4.91 ERA. Ray missed the entire month of May with oblique injury.

Despite making 16 starts, his five decisions of record are less than or equal to relievers Archie Bradley, Yoshihisa Hirano, Fernando Salas, Brad Boxberger and Andrew Chafin.

The D-backs have three starting pitchers with 10 or more wins on the season in Zack Godley, Zack Greinke and Patrick Corbin. The D-backs’ fourth starter, Clay Buchholz has a 6-2 record in 12 starts.

The consistency and strength of the other arms in the D-backs rotation leaves Ray’s role in the playoffs up in the air, but if he can rediscover his All-Star form from 2017, the D-backs could crack the Dodgers code by locking up an NL West title.

Follow @GrandpaKeebs