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Through four weeks, the National League West hasn’t exactly unfolded as planned. The division feels much tighter this month than it looked on paper before the season. The world-beating offenses in Los Angeles and San Diego haven't quite lived up to their billing.
Sure, there’s a long way to go. But it's made for an early-season divisional tussle that has been quite fascinating. With that in mind, here are the most surprising early-season developments for each team in the NL West.
D-backs: How well they’ve dealt with their injuries
Every team knows it is going to have to deal with injuries during the course of a season, but the D-backs have had far more than their fair share so far in 2021. Among those who have been on the injured list this year for them are shortstop Nick Ahmed, center fielder Ketel Marte, right fielder Kole Calhoun, center fielder Tim Locastro, first baseman Christian Walker, ace Zac Gallen, closer Joakim Soria and setup man Tyler Clippard. It’s a long list and, given that the D-backs were not looked at as a postseason contender to begin with, the fact that they've managed to stay right around the .500 mark gives them hope that once they get all their missing players back, they are going to be even better.