Dodgers earn a 3-1 win over Padres and have found optimism as All-Star break arrives

The first half ended as it began, with the Dodgers defeating the Padres, and so after a 3-1 victory Sunday, the players packed duffel bags laid in front of their lockers before the game. Three Dodgers planned to head to San Diego for this week’s All-Star festivities. The remainder intended to enjoy the days off after the team concluded the first segment of the season in fine fashion.

Winners of three in a row and seven of 10, the Dodgers (51-40) have found optimism after months marred by injuries and offensive inefficiency. The team has played some of its best baseball in the past three weeks, which created excitement for the final months of the year.

“It’s time to go now,” said closer Kenley Jansen, one member of the All-Star trio, along with shortstop Corey Seager and starter Clayton Kershaw. “It’s time to try to make the playoffs. Hopefully, everybody will come back healthy, and ready to roll.”

The Dodgers still reside in second place in the National League West. The team still places an undue daily burden on its bullpen. The offense continues to flit in and out of cohesion. But the group remains in line for a playoff spot.

The day at Dodger Stadium offered a variety of encouraging signs. Kenta Maeda struck out 13, the most he had ever accumulated in one game, across seven innings of one-run baseball. Adrian Gonzalez hit his seventh home run of the season. The team also received multi-hit games from Howie Kendrick and Yasmani Grandal, who extended July hot streaks.

“I always say the second half is where you want to get everything rolling and have everybody on the same page,” Kendrick said. “I feel like right now, at the break, guys are in a good place. That’s always a good sign for your team.”

No team in baseball has placed more players on the disabled list than the Dodgers (19). No team has lost more days to injury. Andre Ethier sustained a broken leg. Kershaw suffered a herniated disk. Joc Pederson bashed into a wall and hurt his shoulder. Brett Anderson required back surgery. Alex Wood had an elbow injury.

During the winter, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman received criticism for his inability to acquire top-flight talent. But the front office did assemble a roster loaded with assets, building a depth that has been critical to keeping the club afloat. The team is 10-4 since Kershaw landed on the disabled list.

“While we are certainly not where we want to be, I’m really happy with the work that Dave [Roberts, the manager] and the coaching staff have done, the players in the clubhouse,” Friedman said. “To be in this position, where we’re on pace for 90 wins, with the injuries we have withstood, speaks to the character of this group. And what’s most exciting for this group, as we look to the second half, is we haven’t even played our best baseball yet.”

Friedman sold his group short by a victory. The team is on pace for 91 wins, which would have been enough to win the National League West in 2015. But with San Francisco cruising at a 102-win pace, there is an obvious hill to climb.

Even so, the Dodgers lead the wild-card standings. The farm system is considered one of baseball’s best. And the team has lowered its payroll during the past two seasons. Those realities alone may not appease a fan base fatigued after 28 seasons without a championship. But they do provide reasons for optimism.

So did Maeda on Sunday. In his previous outing, he wobbled as the Orioles capitalized on his lack of conviction in his fastball. Facing a less dangerous offense, Maeda threw his heater with more confidence, and combined that with a devastating slider.

“You could see that look in Kenta’s eye today, after that last outing, that he was determined to dominate,” Roberts said. “And that’s exactly what he did.”

Maeda gave up a solo homer to catcher Derek Norris in the fifth inning. Otherwise, he diced up the Padres. He became the first Dodgers starter to complete the seventh inning since June 20.

His offense handed him a lead in the first inning, when Kendrick doubled and scored on a single by Seager. Kendrick also delivered a run-scoring single in the second.

Both Kendrick and Grandal stumbled through the first half. But in his past 10 games, Kendrick has hit .350. Grandal has hit .440 in July. Gonzalez added to the tally with his fifth-inning solo shot off Padres starter Christian Friedrich.

The three runs were enough for Maeda and enough for the bullpen. It was enough to allow the Dodgers to end a tumultuous first half feeling confident.

“I think that we know that there’s room to grow and get better,” Roberts said. “But, where we are right now, there’s a lot to be said for that.”

Andy.mccullough@latimes.com

Twitter: @McCulloughTimes