Entering Thursday, the starting staff held an 8.27 ERA in its first 13 starts of the spring. Those were made by 10 different pitchers.
The goal moving forward for the likes of right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, left-hander Carlos Rodon, right-hander Lucas Giolito and right-hander Dylan Covey is to become more consistent. Lopez proved to be reliable in making 32 starts in 2018, when he posted a 4.63 ERA.
He has allowed six earned runs in his first 5 1/3 innings this spring.
"I am feeling better about my fastball," Lopez said after his last start. "My command on the fastball was much better than the first time out. I feel I am improving with all of my pitches. This is a time to work on things going toward being at your best Opening Day."
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Giolito (6.13 ERA in 2018) and Covey (5.18 ERA) in particular have much to prove. Giolito has allowed four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in his first two starts in the Cactus League.
"The ball feels good coming out of my hand," Giolito said after going 2 2/3 innings Tuesday. "The fastball command was a little leaky and pully for me on my front side. I had to work with runners on base. That was good because I needed to work on pitching out of the stretch. I could work on my slide step and leg lift. Right now, I am throwing way too many pitches."
Right-hander Ivan Nova will provide the rotation a veteran presence, and 36-year-old right-hander Ervin Santana could provide insurance after signing a minor league deal.
The flash will come from elsewhere, as reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Year Dylan Cease continues to impress this spring. He will eventually provide more competition in the rotation.
"For as young as Cease is, he is very mature about his pitching," manager Rick Renteria said. "He has a nice mix of pitches. To this point, everyone is very impressed with him. He is a very bright young man. He has an idea about everything he does. From the mechanical to the approaches to hitters -- very meticulous in his preparation. He is certainly ahead of the curve."
Another promising pitching prospect is Dane Dunning, but he's suffering from a forearm issue. He's expected to be called up to the big leagues this season if he can avoid injury.
"We like what we have coming," Renteria said. "These guys are on a good pace. We are going to put us in a position that can help in the short and long term. We need to be patient and are sure we don't do anything that puts us in a bad place."