NL West Report: The San Francisco Giants are playing like champions

Coming into this week, the San Francisco Giants had been champions in name only. They had a 9-13 record and were sitting in last place in the NL West. This week, they returned to championship form behind outstanding work from their starting rotation.

The most impressive stretch we've seen from this, or any, starting rotation came in the three games from Sunday through Tuesday. Starting pitchers Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, and Ryan Vogelsong combined to throw 22⅓ scoreless innings while allowing just eight hits in three Giants wins. If the Los Angeles Dodgers had any ideas about running away with the division, the Giants used this week to let them know that it might not be so easy. Here's a look at how the rest of the NL West fared this week.

Arizona Diamondbacks (12-14, 4½ GB)

The week that was: The Diamondbacks played five road games this week. They were first swept in three games by the Dodgers in Los Angeles before heading to Denver and winning both ends of a doubleheader after the first two games of the series were rained out.

Upcoming schedule: It's back to Arizona next week. The club will host the San Diego Padres for four games before welcoming the Washington Nationals in for three more.

Disabled list: RHP Bronson Arroyo (60-day, Tommy John surgery), RHP Archie Bradley (15-day, sinus fracture), LHP Patrick Corbin (15-day, Tommy John surgery), RHP David Hernandez (15-day, Tommy John surgery), C Oscar Hernandez (15-day, hand), C Gerald Laird (60-day, back), 3B Jake Lamb (15-day, foot), RHP Matthew Stites (15-day, arm soreness)

Player of the week: Paul Goldschmidt

You may have already heard this, but Paul Goldschmidt is good. This week was no different for the slugging first baseman. In 24 PA, he slashed .348/.375/.696 with two doubles and two home runs, good for a 190 wRC+. I imagine he'll continue to occupy this space pretty often for the foreseeable future.

Colorado Rockies (11-15, 5½ GB)

The week that was: This was not a fun week to be a Rockies fan. They were 0-5 this week, losing three on the road to the Padres and two at home against the Diamondbacks. They have now lost seven in a row.

Upcoming schedule: The Rockies will try to right the ship next week against the Los Angeles teams. First, they'll host the Dodgers for three games (weather permitting), then they head to Los Angeles for a quick two game interleague series against Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Disabled list: RHP Tyler Chatwood (60-day, Tommy John surgery), IF Charlie Culberson (60-day, lumbar disc), RHP LaTroy Hawkins (15-day, biceps), RHP Adam Ottavino (15-day, probable Tommy John surgery)

Player of the week: Charlie Blackmon

The bad week for the team did not extend out to Blackmon, as he slashed .444/.444/1.000 with a double and three home runs in his 18 PA. His 285 wRC+ for the week raised his season wRC+ to 136, just behind Nick Hundley's 137 for the best mark on the team.

Los Angeles Dodgers (17-10, 0 GB)

The week that was: The division leaders were once again solid this week, sweeping three from the Diamondbacks before losing the first two out of three in Milwaukee in a four game set with the Brewers.

Upcoming schedule: Up next, the Dodgers will wrap up their series with the Brewers, then travel to Denver for three games against the Rockies before coming home for three games against the Miami Marlins.

Disabled list: RHP Brandon Beachy (60-day, Tommy John surgery), OF Carl Crawford (15-day, oblique), RHP Kenley Jansen (15-day, foot), RHP Brandon League (60-day, shoulder), RHP Brandon McCarthy (60-day, Tommy John surgery), RHP Joel Peralta (15-day, arm), OF Yasiel Puig (15-day, hamstring), LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (60-day, shoulder), RHP Chris Withrow (60-day, Tommy John surgery)

Player of the week: Joc Pederson

Pederson becomes the first player to be player of the week twice in a row after another outstanding week. He didn't do much in the batting average department, hitting just .208 for the week, but with a whopping five home runs and eight RBI in 28 PA, he more than made up for it.

San Diego Padres (15-14, 3 GB)

The week that was: One of only two teams in the division with a winning record, the Padres swept three games from the Rockies before losing two of three against the San Francisco Giants as their new-look roster continues to produce mixed results.

Upcoming schedule: Next week, the Padres continue a 10-game road trip. They'll begin the week with four games against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, then travel to the Pacific Northwest for a two game interleague series against the Seattle Mariners.

Disabled list: C Tim Federowicz (60-day, back), RHP Josh Johnson (15-day, Tommy John surgery), RHP Shawn Kelley (15-day, calf), LHP Cory Luebke (60-day, Tommy John surgery), RHP Brandon Morrow (15-day, shoulder), OF Melvin Upton (15-day, foot)

Player of the week: Justin Upton

Upton's hot start for the Padres continued this week as he slashed .429/.556/.667 across 27 PA. He also drove in seven runs, scored seven times, and stole four bases without being caught. His 244 wRC+ for the week raised his mark for the season to a team-best 158.

San Francisco Giants (14-14, 3½ GB)

The week that was: For the first time of the season, the defending World Series champions looked every bit the part. They swept three games with the Angels before taking two out of three from the Padres.

Upcoming schedule: San Francisco will look to continue their surge next week with four games at home against the Marlins and two on the road against the red hot Houston Astros in interleague play.

Disabled list: RHP Matt Cain (15-day, flexor tendon), RHP Erik Cordier (15-day, forearm), 1B Travis Ishikawa (15-day, back), RHP Jake Peavy (15-day, back), OF Hunter Pence (15-day, forearm)

Player of the week: Tim Lincecum

You could take your pick from a number of guys here, but I'm giving it to Lincecum for his eight shutout innings on Sunday that started off three straight shutouts for the Giants pitching staff. His season ERA of 2.40 is the best among Giants starting pitchers.