MLB PLAYER NEWS

Greinke adds another line to Cy Young resume

The Sports Xchange

September 13, 2015 at 10:35 pm.

Zack Greinke is in the running for the Cy Young Award. (Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports)

Zack Greinke is in the running for the Cy Young Award. (Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports)

PHOENIX — Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke was back in form Sunday, although you could argue he has never been out of it this season.

After giving up three earned runs to the Angels on Monday, Greinke rebounded with eight scoreless innings against Arizona on Sunday, dropping his ERA to a major league low 1.61 and adding another line to his Cy Young resume.

“Just trying to get back to pitching like normal,” said Greinke, who gave up seven hits in the 7-5 victory over the Angels on Monday. “It was a bad outing. Wasn’t really sharp. Location was just OK. I had an extra day (of rest), and trying to get back on track.”

Greinke gave up no earned runs for the 11th time this season, and he has given up one run or fewer in 20 of his 29 starts. Greinke leads the majors in WHIP and quality starts.

“He never seems to throw the same pitch to a hitter twice,” Arizona manager Chip Hale said. “If it’s cutting a little bit, the next one is sinking.”

Greinke, who won the AL CY Young with Kansas City in 2009, will most likely have three more regular-season starts unless the NL West races tightens appreciably. If not, Greinke would be in line to start the first of a possible playoff series. The most likely opponent is the Mets.

“Today he looked really sharp,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “After the last outing, when he said his arm felt really good but he wasn’t as sharp as far as location, tonight it looked like he got back to where he has been all year long. He was sharp with everything.”

Greinke threw 93 pitches in eight innings, but Mattingly said he did not want send Greinke out for the ninth inning to with an eye on games to come.

“We’re at the point of the year where if I can keep an inning off him, I’ll keep an inning off him,” Mattingly said.

“Just trying to keep him as strong as we can. When you get to the end of the year, he and Clayton (Kershaw) both, they pitch deep into every game, so the innings just pile up. So I get a chance to get him out of there at a good pitch count where he didn’t have to work too hard, I’m going to do. I’m going to say those bullets for the games that I need him.”