PHOENIX — Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney were off to great starts. But both have been on the injured list for a while now.

Walker Buehler is still searching for his old fastball. Julio Urias has been good even though he isn’t piling up victories the way he did last year when he was baseball’s only 20-game winner.

So the Dodgers’ best starting pitcher right now might be … Tony Gonsolin?

The numbers are on his side. Gonsolin’s 1.62 ERA is the lowest on the staff. He has a 0.97 WHIP and has held opposing hitters to a .164 batting average.

Just as important to the Dodgers right now, Gonsolin has shown improved pitch efficiency. He has completed six innings in each of his past two starts, the first time he has done that at the big-league level.

“I think the main thing is he’s really understanding what his arsenal is and what makes him unique,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said, breaking down the reasons behind the 28-year-old Gonsolin’s success. “He’s got four pitches. I think for me, what’s really stood out is his curveball. … That curveball has been a really valuable weapon for him, throwing strikes early in counts so that he doesn’t have to show splitter or slider.

“He spots his fastball when he needs to or interjects it to kind of change speeds. His splitter has been really – at times it’s been unbelievably nasty. And the slider, he’s had the slider the last couple of years, so that’s nothing new. But I think it’s really been his ability to land that curveball. And at times when it’s really cooking, he’s been able to use it for swing and miss late in counts, bouncing it.

“So I think he’s really starting to develop all four of those pitches. Starting to understand the hitters, where you can throw guys, how to get into counts, and then where to go to get out of some situations. And I think that’s what’s been a big plus for him this year.”

Gonsolin was limited by shoulder problems last season. Mindful of that, the Dodgers have given him more than four days’ rest between starts seven times in his first eight. He will be on five days’ rest when he starts against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.

HOMER HUNGRY

Freddie Freeman ended a stretch of 128 plate appearances without a home run when he hit one in his second at-bat Thursday. There were plenty of times in those 128 homerless plate appearances when Freeman thought he had squared one up well enough to hit it out.

One, in particular, stood out – a line drive off the wall in Washington on Monday that wound up being one of his 18 doubles (tied for the MLB lead entering Friday).

“I mean, I hit a 108-mph line drive at a 21-degree launch angle and it hit the top of the wall,” Freeman said of that double. “Chicago, I hit two balls that should have been homers but got blown back. I just seem to be hitting them at the wrong time. It’s okay. If I hit .300 they’ll come. I might not hit 35 this year but they’ll come.”

Freeman gives a knowing smile when he is asked if he wants to add his voice to those questioning the balls this year and whether MLB has made changes that are leading to fewer home runs across the league – not just for him.

“Believe me, I don’t know if the balls are changed,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you if you gave me three different balls. I couldn’t tell the difference.

“I’ve hit a couple balls this year that I thought were homers that aren’t going this year, yes. That’s just – whatever. I just have to hit it harder.”

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Through Thursday, Freeman’s average exit velocity of 91.6 mph is the second-highest of his career behind his MVP season in 2020 when he averaged 92.4 mph.

ROSTER MOVE

Right-handed reliever Phil Bickford was optioned to clear a roster spot for Ryan Pepiot to start Friday’s game.

Bickford has not been as effective this year as he was last season when he was one of the surprises in the bullpen. He has a 3.45 ERA and 1.15 WHIP through 17 appearances. Opposing batters hit .197 against him last season. That is up to .263 this year.

ALSO

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts left the team Friday in order to attend his daughter’s high school graduation in Southern California. Roberts is expected to rejoin the team in time for Saturday’s game. Bench coach Bob Geren was acting manager Friday night.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin, 4-0, 1.62 ERA) at Diamondbacks (RHP Merrill Kelly, 3-2, 3.49 ERA), Saturday, 4:15 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM