After a 2020 season that was a 60-game sprint, baseball is back to being baseball in 2021.

That means it's a 162-game slate filled with highs, lows, hot streaks and cold streaks, which tend to even out with the good players finding a way to rise to the top in the end.

With that in mind, here's a look at one player from each National League West team who has started the season slowly but should be just fine once all is said and done.

D-backs: David Peralta

It's been a tough start to the season for left fielder David Peralta, who entered play Thursday hitting .213 with a .665 OPS. But unless Peralta has just suddenly forgotten how to hit, those numbers are going to get better. Going back to 2017, Peralta has OPS marks of .796, .868, .804 and .773 last year. His chase rate and K percentage are both excellent. He is hitting the ball on the ground more often, and he’s said that’s because his timing is off a bit. So he seems to be looking for his rhythm at the plate. If history -- and some of the secondary metrics -- are any indication, he'll find it sooner rather than later. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: AJ Pollock

Not many things have gone wrong for the Dodgers through their first 18 games, but Los Angeles would like to see added production out of AJ Pollock, who is hitting .220 in 16 games. Pollock posted a .881 OPS last season and was one of the Dodgers’ best hitters in a stacked lineup. But this season, Pollock dealt with a minor groin injury, and he hasn’t been able to find the power. He’s still looking for his first homer of the season. One area of concern for Pollock is that he isn’t hitting the ball nearly as hard this season. He had a hard-hit percentage of 43.1 last season. That’s down to 36.4 this year. The Dodgers are banking that Pollock will figure it out soon. -- Juan Toribio

Giants: Mike Yastrzemski

Mike Yastrzemski placed eighth in National League MVP Award voting after emerging as a late-blooming star in 2020, but he’s endured a slow start to the season and entered Tuesday hitting .175/.266/.386 with 22 strikeouts over 16 games. Yastrzemski has posted reverse splits over his first two seasons in the big leagues, but he’s had more trouble against lefties thus far and is also hitting more balls on the ground. Still, Yastrzemski isn’t the only Giants hitter who is weathering an early slump, and he’s managed to work his way out of similar ruts in the past. The 30-year-old outfielder is one of the club’s few everyday players and is expected to be a fixture atop the lineup this season, so the Giants are hoping things will start to click for him sooner rather than later. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr.

It’s been a stop-and-start first few weeks for Fernando Tatis Jr., who missed 10 days because of a partially separated left shoulder and is off to a dreadful start, both offensively and defensively. But look closely and there are signs of an offensive breakout forthcoming. Tatis ranks in the top 10 percent of the league in hard-hit rate and average exit velocity, and he’s begun to hit the ball with a bit more authority. Defensively, things more concerning for Tatis, who has already committed an unsightly seven errors at shortstop. But he made serious strides defensively in 2020, and it’s hard to believe those have gone completely by the wayside. At the plate, Tatis -- a career .292 hitter with a .933 OPS -- is just 5-for-38 this season. So long as he’s healthy, it’s safe to expect a bounce back, considering Tatis’ other-worldly offensive skillset. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: Charlie Blackmon

Charlie Blackmon is hitting .176 in his first 51 at-bats. The last of those -- a bases-loaded situation in Wednesday's 6-3 victory over the Astros -- showed the possibilities. Blackmon was on time but just a little off from squaring the pitch up, and it ended up a fly ball to right. Blackmon's eye is keen -- he has eight walks. Just slightly better timing should turn his numbers to Blackmon-like levels. -- Thomas Harding