First-place Dodgers have eventful first week

In four games at Coors Field in the Mile High city of Denver, the Dodgers scored 26 runs, 6.5 runs per game. They hit two home runs, the first an inside-the-park home run by Zach McKinstry. Will Smith hit the second home run for the Dodgers on Sunday, the final game of the opening four-game series against the Rockies. 

Cody Bellinger hit the ball out of Coors Field on opening day, but Justin Turner, who was on first base, thought Rockies outfielder Raimel Tapia caught it. Turner ran back to first base, passed Bellinger on the way, and was called out. Bellinger ended up with a single and the Dodgers lost the game, 8-5.

That was the bad news. 

The Dodgers won the next three games of the season and are tied for first place in the National League West standings with the San Diego Padres at 3-1.

Speaking of those pesky Padres, Fernando Tatis has more errors, three, than home runs, one, after four games.

Who cares if Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels takes his team to the playoffs? Shohei Ohtani is the player to watch when the playoffs start.

The season isn't a week old and playoffs are already in the conversation. That's what happens when there is a 60-game season played in the middle of a pandemic.

After the first four games, here are the Dodger pitcher power rankings:

1. Julio Urias

2. Trevor Bauer

3. Walker Buehler

4. Clayton Kershaw

Are the Dodgers possibly pondering a closer by committee? Corey Knebel picked up the save pitching a perfect ninth inning against the Rockies on Sunday.

Kenley Jansen earned the save on Saturday, a five-out effort to cap a 6-5 win.

Maybe Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was giving Jansen a rest. Maybe Roberts wasn't taking any chances. Maybe it's a sign of things to come.

The Dodgers start a three-game series against the Oakland A's on Monday. Dustin May makes his first start of the season for the Dodgers. 

And if you're keeping score at home, COVID is 4-0 in 2021. The four-game series between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals was postponed because players tested positive for COVID. The Nationals are scheduled to play the Dodgers in their home opener on Friday.