Bolsinger shows D-backs what they're missing

LOS ANGELES -- In the offseason, Mike Bolsinger was "traded" for cash considerations. Against Arizona on Monday night, he showed his former team what it was missing out on.

Bolsinger tied a career high with eight strikeouts over seven innings and allowed just three hits and two runs as the Dodgers cruised over the D-backs, 9-3.

"At this point, it's the same outing all the time. He keeps us in every game," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "He can really spin it, change speeds with the breaking ball, and he threw a lot of strikes with the fastball tonight."

When Bolsinger allowed two runs in the sixth inning on a double from A.J. Pollock, it snapped a streak of 24 consecutive scoreless innings at home.

Though he started the season in Triple-A, Bolsinger has been a key member of the Dodgers' rotation that has been decimated by injuries. Bolsinger is now 4-1 on the season with an ERA of 2.08 -- much improved from his numbers last year in Arizona, where he went 1-6 with a 5.50 ERA.

"Honestly, I think there's another level in there," Bolsinger said. "Working with [pitching coach Rick] Honeycutt has been tremendous. Kudos to him. He knows what he's talking about."

Bolsinger said he made a slight tweak in mechanics in-between starts -- bringing his arm through in a fluid motion with the rest of his body. He even threw a 10-pitch bullpen session on Sunday -- a day before his start -- to work on the command of his high-80s fastball.

Monday was Draft day and Bolsinger wasn't a highly-touted prospect. Drafted in the 15th round, he made his Major League debut last season without fanfare or expectations. After joining the Dodgers, he started in Triple-A and was called up by necessity after Brandon McCarthy was lost for the season. But in a little more than a month, Bolsinger has made his mark with the club.

"A lot of people thought I wouldn't be in this situation," Bolsinger said. "Come up, have a start and do OK and be back down. People also saying, 'He's having a few good starts, when is he going to explode?' I'm not out there to prove a single person wrong, but I'm out there to prove everyone wrong. I can do this."

And as for whether Monday's win was any sweeter against the team that dumped him for cash?

"The way I look at it, it's probably $5, $6 million, right?" Bolsinger joked.