NL WEST NEWS AND NOTES

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Center fielder A.J. Pollock was activated from the disabled list July 2 after a short rehab assignment at Class AAA Reno (Nev.), and the Diamondbacks were hoping that fellow outfielder Steven Souza Jr. can return before the All-Star break. If Souza returns, it potentially would be the first time the quartet of Pollock, Souza, Paul Goldschmidt and Jake Lamb has appeared in the same lineup this season.

Pollock (fractured left thumb) and Souza (right pectoral strain) each began a rehab assignment June 29. Souza, who hit 30 home runs for the Tampa Bay Rays last year, has played in only 14 games this season because of various injuries.

A sprained left shoulder forced Lamb to miss 39 of Arizona’s first 43 games.

❚ A potential factor in the summer trade market: Arizona has far more room under the luxury-tax threshold than two rivals, the Dodgers and Giants.

COLORADO ROCKIES

Right-hander Jon Gray was sent down to Class AAA Albuquerque (N.M.) on June 30. If the plan succeeds, he will rejoin the team this month with increased confidence.

Gray had a 5.77 ERA despite the National League’s second-best strikeout rate. Manager Bud Black, a former pitcher, told The Denver Post that Gray lacked confidence but didn’t have any health or mechanical issues.

When the season began, Gray was a logical candidate to have another good year after going 10-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 2017, his second full season in the majors. In spring training, his fastball was clocked around 95 mph.

But in seven of his 17 starts, he allowed at least five runs without finishing six innings.

❚ The Rockies will be careful with Gray’s replacement, righthander Antonio Senzatela, who has dealt with a recurring groin-muscle injury this season. In Class AAA, he was 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA in eight starts.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

A good sign for the Dodgers is that several of their hitters have found their power strokes. Seven hit at least four home runs in June and the team’s 55 homers for the month set a franchise record.

Joc Pederson and Max Muncy led the team with 10 homers apiece for the month, and Cody Bellinger hit eight. Bellinger, the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year, appeared to benefit from a swing adjustment in response to a choppy start to the season.

As a hitter, Enrique Hernandez continued to blunt the season- ending injury to shortstop Corey Seager. He hit seven home runs in June.

The Dodgers also got six homers from Matt Kemp and four apiece from Yasiel Puig and Justin Turner.

The Dodgers will try to keep the energetic Hernandez fresh. At shortstop, he lacks Seager’s range. By some metrics, his range is well-below average.

❚ Speculation has had the Dodgers targeting Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado in a trade. Coincidentally or not, two Dodgers rivals, the Diamondbacks and Padres, were linked to Machado. However, relief pitching might be L.A.’s greater need.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

The Padres won’t complain if Austin Hedges is a C-minus hitter through season’s end. The logic is that if Hedges can be somewhat decent with the bat, he’ll come out ahead because he’s solid defensively as a catcher.

Hedges hit just .173 with 30 strikeouts in his first 75 at-bats before the Padres put him on the disabled list in early May because of a sore right elbow.

The DL time allowed Hedges to retool his swing and perform in Class AAA, where he batted .407 with three home runs in seven games.

Hedges returned last week but hit only .188 (3-for-16) in his first five games.

❚ The Padres might have a better-hitting catching prospect in Austin Allen, a touted lefthanded hitter who could join Hedges this season. Allen was hitting .312 with 15 homers and 38 RBI through 71 games in Class AA, and he had a 1.011 OPS (on base plus slugging percentage) against right-handed pitchers.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The Giants will be playoff contenders if June portends what two older rookie pitchers will do in the weeks ahead.

Left-hander Andrew Suarez and right-hander Dereck Rodriguez, both 26, each started six games last month and posted ERAs of 2.62 and 3.21, respectively. They defeated first-place Arizona on back-to-back nights over the weekend.

The rookies’ performances meant the Giants didn’t have to rush the comeback of Johnny Cueto from an elbow injury. Cueto, who hadn’t allowed a run through two rehab outings, could return this week.

The team is near the voluntary limit as it nears the July 31 trade deadline.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

HUNTER RENFROE, PADRES: Teammate Franchy Cordero’s elbow injury means Renfroe, a corner outfielder, stands to get regular playing time through September. The Padres want Renfroe to show his rare power, reach base more often and refine his powerful throwing. Success would allow Renfroe to fend off the Padres’ other outfield candidates or boost his trade value.