Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers won two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell's debut with the team on Thursday evening by taking down the visiting Detroit Tigers, 5-4.

Snell scuffled through five innings, allowing five hits and four walks while striking out just two.

However, he only allowed two runs and got the win for the defending World Series champion Dodgers, who moved to 3-0 after previously sweeping the Chicago Cubs in a two-game series played in Tokyo on March 18 and 19.

Reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani's seventh-inning solo homer gave L.A. a 5-3 lead and ended up being the game-winning hit.

Shohei delivers on #OpeningDayLA! pic.twitter.com/9yx4vQ7TyV

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2025

Earlier in the game, L.A. outfielder Teoscar Hernández's fifth-inning three-run homer gave L.A. a 4-2 advantage.

TEO KNEW. pic.twitter.com/CKyw4vhGkh

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2025

This game featured a star-studded pitching matchup between Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, last year's American League Cy Young winner, and Snell, who signed a five-year, $182 million contract with L.A. this offseason.

Neither pitcher had a banner day.

Skubal allowed four earned runs, six hits and one walk while striking out two over five frames. He took the loss after allowing the Hernández homer.

Snell threw three scoreless innings but then allowed a run apiece in the fourth and fifth. He allowed three baserunners in each inning and gave up the runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.

After five innings, Snell found himself at 92 pitches, and L.A. went to the bullpen.

Detroit fought hard. Spencer Torkelson hit a solo homer in the seventh to cut L.A.'s lead to 4-3.

After Ohtani's homer, Detroit scored another one in the eighth after Zach McKinstry hit a triple and Kerry Carpenter knocked him in with a sac fly.

Spencer Torkelson gets a run back for the @Tigers! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/DhxsDabZYL

— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2025

Detroit put runners on first and second with one out in the top of the ninth, but Blake Treinen shut the door with a strikeout and popout.

L.A. had three homers in this game, as Tommy Edman's solo blast gave the Dodgers an early 1-0 edge in the second.

The first Dodger homer of the season in Tokyo and Los Angeles belongs to Tommy Edman! pic.twitter.com/U6pDJfuDTY

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 27, 2025

Ultimately, the Dodgers tacked on another win as the World Series favorites stayed undefeated in their title defense. Ohtani and Hernandez in particular got much praise on social media for their clutch blasts.

DODGERS KICK OFF #OPENINGDAY WITH A DUB

TEOSCAR HERNANDEZ WAS THE HERO

SHOHEI WITH A LITTLE INSURANCE

BASEBALL IS OFFICIALLY BACK BABY pic.twitter.com/xHAOywDoWB

— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) March 28, 2025

Shohei Ohtani is on pace to hit 108 home runs this year.

That would be an MLB record.

— Jacob Brownson (@brownsonjacob2) March 28, 2025

This mf Ohtani is special

— Gritty From Da Underground 🏁 (@grittywuzhere) March 28, 2025

Ohtani home runs are still just different smh

— 🏆LakersGuru🏆 (@GuruLakers) March 28, 2025

Ohtani baseball is back

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) March 28, 2025

Every time I start to get annoyed by Teoscar Hernandez striking out he hits a huge home run to shut me up.

— Jacob Brownson (@brownsonjacob2) March 28, 2025

https://twitter.com/SaveMeRoki/status/1905404737274740860

ALL MY HOMIES LOVE TEOSCAR HERNANDEZ

— devastated dodger fan (2024 champs) (@wanny_____) March 28, 2025

The Dodgers are on pace to go 162-0 this season. #math

— Max Garcia Davison (@MaxGDavison) March 28, 2025

The Dodgers look absolutely scary.

Again.

— Aaron (@pjlove10) March 28, 2025

162-0 still a go

— WS Champion Dodgers Lyss (@notlyssa) March 28, 2025

L.A. and Detroit will head back to Dodger Stadium on Friday at 10:10 p.m. ET for Game 2 of the three-game series.

Los Angeles Dodgers star shortstop Mookie Betts was forced to miss the team's first two regular-season games against the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome last week due to an illness, and it sounds like he will be looking svelte when he returns to the field.

Betts told reporters on Sunday that his stomach bug has caused him to lose 18 pounds, and his return remains uncertain while he's still feeling the effects of the illness:

What’s ailing LA Dodgers SS Mookie Betts remains a mystery. His inexplicable stomach illness has everyone, including the dynamic Betts puzzled.

He’s down in weight from 175 to 157 pounds and says he’s still not right. 🙏🏽🙏🏽 for a quick recovery for the MLBbro. @FredoCervantes pic.twitter.com/ziBBzhTjLc

— MLBbro.com (@MLBbrodotcom) March 24, 2025

Per the Associated Press, Betts explained that he feels like he's improving, but he's still having a hard time keeping solid foods down.

"I mean, I feel great," Betts said. "Like, my body feels great. I've been able to work out. I've been able to do pretty much everything but eat, which is strange. So, the symptoms have kind of gone away. I just have to figure out how to get my stomach to kind of calm down."

The 32-year-old added that all his blood work and other routine testing have been normal. However, he confirmed that he won't play in Monday's exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels, and he said he considers himself a long shot to be in the lineup against the Detroit Tigers for MLB's official Opening Day on Thursday.

"It's just hard to fathom not eating and going to play a game," Betts said. "So it looks like I'm just going to be light for a little bit. Maybe I play uphill a little bit for the beginning of the season. But no, I just want to play, man. I'm tired of sitting, tired of throwing up, tired of doing all this. I really just want to play."

The 2025 season will present a new challenge for Betts, as he will be transitioning to full-time shortstop after spending most of his career as a right fielder and second baseman. The eight-time All-Star will likely make the transition look easy, but he needs to be fully recovered from his illness to be at his best as the Dodgers begin their chase for their second straight World Series title.

If Rōki Sasaki had gotten his way, he would have pitched more than three innings in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game that Sasaki was hoping to remain in the game longer than he did:

"I think there were nerves, and understandably so. The velocity was good, but I thought the emotions, the adrenaline, was hard to rein in. ... The highs are going to be high, and when he's not commanding it, it gets a little bit tricky. I do want to say he wanted to stay in the game. That's a decision I made in the best interest of him, but he wanted to keep going."

It's hard to argue with the decision Roberts made to pull Sasaki. The right-hander, who was making his first career MLB start, struggled with his command by issuing five walks.

Three of those walks came in the third inning, with the final resulting in a run for the Cubs. Sasaki did escape further damage by showing off his arsenal of pitches to strike out Michael Busch and Matt Shaw.

Roki Sasaki showcases the repertoire to escape a bases-loaded jam. #TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/CIwR9tueC5

— MLB (@MLB) March 19, 2025

Despite the initial struggles in that inning, the strikeouts were a good way to give Sasaki a positive note to close his first start. His final line was one earned run allowed on one hit, five walks and three strikeouts in three innings.

The 56 pitches Sasaki threw were 10 more than in either of his two spring outings. His longest appearance in spring training was four innings against the Cleveland Guardians on March 11, so it's unlikely he would've gone more than four innings in this game regardless of the results.

Los Angeles is still in the process of building up Sasaki's arm for a full season. He also dealt with arm injuries last season with the Chiba Lotte Marines in NPB.

Even though this particular game probably had special meaning for Sasaki as his first MLB start and taking place at the Tokyo Dome, the Dodgers are taking a long-term view with the 23-year-old phenom.

The Dodgers and Cubs are returning to the United States to wrap up their final spring games before resuming the regular season starting on March 27. Los Angeles host the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium for a three-game series.

In a game that saw Rōki Sasaki make his MLB debut and Shohei Ohtani homer, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete had arguably the highlight moment in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

Peete, who was in the stands down the third base line at the Tokyo Dome, caught a foul ball off the bat of Cubs left fielder Ian Happ in the bottom of the sixth inning that Max Muncy nearly stole with a terrific diving play over the netting.

Rodney Peete casually making the catch in front of Max Muncy 🤣 pic.twitter.com/16sGFvMqNT

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 19, 2025

There are plenty of things to react to here, not least of which is Peete came to the game with a glove. He knew exactly where his seat was and wanted to be prepared if the opportunity to snag a ball came his way.

The other key takeaway is Peete's reaction after catching the ball. While most people would be celebrating getting a souvenir from a historic sporting event, he just casually dropped his glove to his side and gave a little look to Muncy.

Peete does have a background in baseball. He was a two-sport athlete in college at USC from 1985 to '88, playing second base, third base and shortstop. The Arizona native hit .338/.419/.642 with 12 homers in just 40 games.

One of his teammates on the 1988 USC team was former MLB All-Star Bret Boone. The Trojans advanced to the regional final in the NCAA tournament, losing to No. 1 seed Fresno State.

MLB teams tried to sway Peete away from football. He was drafted four different times between 1984 and '90, including twice by the Oakland A's in 1988 and '89.

Peete probably made the right choice to stick with football. He had a 15-year career in the NFL with six different teams, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs in 1995 after taking over for Randall Cunningham.

Even though Peete never got to challenge himself against professional pitching, he did create one of the best early-season highlights for MLB while getting a souvenir for himself.

Despite a shaky debut from Rōki Sasaki, the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with a 6-3 victory in Tokyo to begin the 2025 MLB season.

Sasaki, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, showed off the immense talent that made him such a phenom coming out of NPB and some areas where he will have to improve against MLB hitters.

The 23-year-old allowed one run on one hit with three strikeouts, but he also walked five in just three innings. His first three pitches of the game were all fastballs that hit 100 mph.

100
100
100

Roki Sasaki's first three MLB pitches. pic.twitter.com/qLxqVkQrpU

— MLB (@MLB) March 19, 2025

Sasaki's first career strikeout was on a 99 mph heater against Seiya Suzuki in the top of the first.

Roki Sasaki gets his first Major League strikeout! #TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/oX7iIARjJk

— MLB (@MLB) March 19, 2025

Even though his control was all over the place, Sasaki did show that he's capable of navigating trouble that he puts himself in. After walking three straight hitters in the top of the third to force in a run and keep the bases loaded with one out, the right-hander escaped by striking out Michael Busch and Matt Shaw.

Roki Sasaki showcases the repertoire to escape a bases-loaded jam. #TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/CIwR9tueC5

— MLB (@MLB) March 19, 2025

Roki Sasaki is the first pitcher since Ryan Pepiot (May 11, 2022) to have a career debut start featuring 5+ BB but no more than 1 hit.

— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) March 19, 2025

Roki Sasaki made his MLB Debut!

It was an outing to forget as Sasaki struggled to find the zone. He issued 5 BB and returned a putrid 44.6 Strike%

His fastball looked better today, but he needs to throw more strikes pic.twitter.com/5sLfecsrYU

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) March 19, 2025

I'm glad Roberts didn't pull him. It's early, let the kid figure it out.

— Rōki Sasaki Believer (@SiempreDodgers) March 19, 2025

Roki Sasaki got consecutive strikeouts to limit the damage there. Still has thrown more balls than strikes so far tonight, but the stuff is good enough for him to get out of trouble. https://t.co/vfj9z0cdIu

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 19, 2025

While Sasaki showed he is still a work-in-progress, Shohei Ohtani gave fans in the Tokyo Dome plenty to cheer about. The reigning NL MVP got on base three times in five plate appearances and hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth to give the Dodgers a 6-2 lead. 

The Sho continues in Tokyo! pic.twitter.com/jhThjQ4rES

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 19, 2025

There was a minor controversy about Ohtani’s homer, which seemed to be aided by a fan reaching over the railing. The umpires reviewed the call and confirmed the home run, but one could argue it was a hometown call for Ohtani.

Shohei Ohtani's "home run." pic.twitter.com/e5nfK1a45A

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) March 19, 2025

I don’t think that was a home run, but there would have been civil unrest if they took that away from Shohei Ohtani.

— Jacob Brownson (@brownsonjacob2) March 19, 2025

It was probably hard to overturn whatever your original call was on that one, but you knew they weren't gonna take away a home run from Shohei Ohtani in Japan either way.

— Matt Clapp (@TheBlogfines) March 19, 2025

I'm not a conspiracy theory guy, but that was a hilariously fast review on the Shohei homer fan interference call.

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) March 19, 2025

Controversial homer or not, the Dodgers’ lineup showed in this game why they are going to be a nightmare for opposing teams all season. Cubs starter Justin Steele, who has a 3.07 ERA and just 278 hits allowed in 308 innings over the past two seasons, allowed five earned runs on five hits on Tuesday. 

Los Angeles scored 10 runs in the two games against the Cubs despite not having Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman available to play. 

There’s so much depth and high-ceiling talent in this Dodgers lineup. They’re going to be nearly impossible to slow down for long stretches over the course of this season. 

Sasaki’s raw stuff is good enough to carry him for the time being as he refines his control and command. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who started Tuesday’s game, looks like he’s ready to join the ranks of MLB’s top-tier starters as long as he stays healthy this season. 

The Dodgers have all of this going for them just in a two-game sample size, and we still haven’t even seen Blake Snell or Tyler Glasnow pitch yet. By the way, Ohtani will likely be back on the mound in May. 

Good luck to the other 29 MLB teams this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers star slugger Shohei Ohtani admitted that he felt some unusual jitters during the team's Opening Day win over the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome.

"It's been a while since I felt this nervous playing a game," he said after the game, per ESPN's Tim Keown. "It took me four or five innings."

Ohtani went 2-for-5 and scored two runs in the Dodgers' 4-1 win. His first two at-bats ended with a ground-out and a line-out before he hit a single in the fifth inning. He also struck out in the sixth before leading off the ninth with a double.

Shohei Ohtani is just having fun out there 🤩 #TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/W8SwkZXUiS

— MLB (@MLB) March 18, 2025

The three-time MVP is known for his steely demeanor, so it was somewhat jarring for the Dodgers to see him get shaken up by the pressure of playing in his home country of Japan.

"I don't think I've ever seen Shohei nervous," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But one thing I did notice was how emotional he got during the Japanese national anthem. I thought that was telling."

The series at the Tokyo Dome is a momentous occasion for the five Japanese players between the two teams. Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Cubs starter Shota Imanaga became the first two Japanese pitchers in MLB history to face each other in an Opening Day game, and both of them had solid outings. Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki went 0-for-4, and Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki will make his MLB debut in the second and final game of the series on Wednesday.

Despite a huge offseason spending spree that saw the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers get significantly better on paper, team president Stan Kasten rejects them as being labeled MLB's new "evil empire."

In a text message to The Athletic's Jayson Stark, Kasten dismissed the moniker because the Dodgers are "neither evil, nor an empire."

Kasten followed up by telling Stark in a phone conversation that the odds for the 2025 season suggest a team other than the Dodgers will win the World Series.

"Did you know,” Kasten said, "that the oddsmakers claim there’s a 75 percent chance that someone other than us wins the World Series this year? So it’s hard to be that evil or much of an empire if that continues."

While there is definitely a semantic case Kasten is making, the argument that the Dodgers are the new Yankees doesn't really pass the smell test because at the height of the "evil empire" Yankees, they were spending significantly more money than anyone else.

From 2003 to '10, the Yankees spent on average $58.3 million more in payroll than the No. 2 team in MLB. They had three seasons during that span (2005, 2006, 2008) in which they spent more than $75 million than anyone else.

By comparison, the Dodgers were third in total payroll spending last season at $265.9 million. The New York Mets ($317.5 million) and Yankees ($314.7 million) were ahead of them.

The Dodgers do have the highest projected payroll going into 2025 at $321 million, but the Mets aren't far behind at $312.9 million.

Amid all of the questions that the Dodgers might be bad for baseball because they added Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and kept Teoscar Hernández and Clayton Kershaw, nothing is preventing other teams from offering any of these players the same money L.A. did.

Sasaki was a unique case because he could only sign for international bonus pool money due to MLB rules, so everyone was operating largely in the same financial range, but all the other players were free agents.

There's no salary cap in MLB preventing owners from paying players whatever they want. So many of them just choose not to for whatever reason.

On top of that, the Dodgers have made the playoffs every year since 2013. They had the best record in MLB three times during that span, but didn't win the World Series in two of those years (2017, 2022).

For the record, the "evil empire" Yankees only won the World Series once, in 2009. The history of MLB's postseason indicates having the best record and the best team on paper doesn't guarantee anything.

Few teams know that better than the Dodgers, who won a franchise-record 111 games in the 2022 regular season only to lose in the NLDS to the 89-win San Diego Padres.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will join the list of athletes to have a skin in Fortnite.

Epic Games dropped a new trailer on Tuesday revealing Ohtani will be available as a character in the game starting on March 17.

Sho up and Sho out.

Next up to the plate in Fortnite March 17: Shohei Ohtani! https://t.co/bJPnDoBonJ pic.twitter.com/QT8DkwETFF

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) March 10, 2025

Per Fortnite.com, gamers can compete in the Shohei Ohtani Cup starting on March 15 for an opportunity to unlock one of his outfits before the official release date.

In addition to Ohtani being a playable character, Epic Games is releasing a series of Ohtani-themed Battle Royale quests on March 18 celebrating his historic 50-50 season in 2024.

The quests include finishing three matches in the top 17; throw 17 items; eliminate three players beyond 50 meters; deal 54 damage to opponents with The Kneecapper; and travel 59 units of distance while sliding continuously.

The units of distance and damage represent the number of homers (54) and stolen bases (59) Ohtani had last year. Ohtani has worn jersey No. 17 for his entire MLB career.

Each of the quests will be released on March 18 and last through the end of season two, chapter six. The release is timed to the start of the MLB regular season, as the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs will play a two-game series in Japan on March 18 and 19.

Ohtani is the latest athlete to be added to the Icon Series for the popular online video game. Previous additions include LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, Lionel Messi, Naomi Osaka and Chloe Kim.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani appears to be on schedule in his recovery from elbow surgery during the 2023 season that prevented him from pitching last year.

The reigning NL MVP had his first bullpen session of the season during the Dodgers' spring training practice on Saturday.

FIRST LOOK: Shohei Ohtani is back on the mound throwing his first bullpen of Spring Training. pic.twitter.com/E06ND3O5SJ

— MLB (@MLB) February 15, 2025

Shohei Ohtani was sitting at 92-94 MPH during his first Spring Training bullpen session.

Manager Dave Roberts told reporters it's possible that Ohtani will be facing batters in simulated settings before the team leaves for Tokyo. pic.twitter.com/eE9gUtTWtB

— MLB (@MLB) February 15, 2025

Ohtani tore the UCL in his right elbow in a start for the Los Angeles Angels against the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 23, 2023.

Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed surgery to repair the injury a few weeks later to "reinforce the healthy ligament in place," which suggests it wasn't a Tommy John procedure.

Manager Dave Roberts told reporters in March 2024 that Ohtani would begin a throwing program after the team returned to the United States following its series against the San Diego Padres in South Korea.

After Roberts initially left the door open to Ohtani possibly pitching in the postseason by saying there's a "not zero" percent chance it happens, he reversed course leading up to the start of the World Series.

"There is no possibility, none whatsoever," Roberts said prior to Game 1 against the New York Yankees. "Thank you for asking."

Ohtani's offseason program was delayed after undergoing arthroscopic surgery in November to repair a torn labrum suffered on a slide into second base in Game 2 of the Fall Classic.

At the Dodgers fan fest event, Roberts said Ohtani will likely start pitching in MLB games again sometime in May, but the timeline is flexible depending on how his throwing program goes.

"It might be earlier," Roberts said, "but I think that the first thing I said earlier this offseason was it wasn’t going to be in the Japan Series. … Once he gets to Spring Training and we see where the throwing program is, I think we’ll just go from there."

Serving as just a designated hitter last season, Ohtani turned in the best offensive season of his career. The 30-year-old hit .310/.390/.646 with 54 homers, 59 stolen bases and 130 RBI. He became the first player in MLB history with at least 50 homers and 50 steals in a single season.

Ohtani won his third MVP award in the last four seasons and first as a National League player.

Whenever Ohtani does start pitching in MLB games again, he will join a stacked Dodgers rotation that includes Rōki Sasaki, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Tony Gonsolin. Clayton Kershaw will eventually be added to the mix, but he's expected to start the year on the 60-day injured list recovering from offseason knee and toe surgeries.

In his last three seasons as a pitcher from 2021 to '23, Ohtani posted a 2.84 ERA with 542 strikeouts in 428.1 innings over 74 starts.

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw explained his decision to return to the team for the 2025 season instead of retiring.

"I don't want to be, 'I just can't do it hurt,' you know? Hopefully I can walk out on my own terms, whenever that is," Kershaw said, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "But it just didn't feel like it was the right time, even though we won. Being on the shelf for that wasn't the way that I had scripted it out. Still super thankful to be a part of it last year and get to see everything, but I want to be out there when it happens."

The 10-time All-Star signed a one-year contract worth $7.5 million to stay in Los Angeles for an 18th season.

The 36-year-old was hampered by injuries throughout the 2024 season, making just seven starts. He finished with a 2-2 record to go along with a 4.50 ERA, striking out a mere 24 batters in 30 innings of work.

Kershaw didn't make his season debut until July 25 after undergoing shoulder surgery in Nov. 2023 and his year quickly came to an end due to a bone spur in his big toe.

The Dodgers remained successful despite the uneven 2024 campaign from the three-time NL Cy Young winner, finishing with a 98-64 record and securing their second World Series victory over the past five years.

Kershaw has shown that he can still be one of the most imposing starters in the majors when healthy. In 78 combined starts from 2020-23, he compiled a 41-18 record as well as a 2.67 ERA and 0.986 WHIP.

His 2025 debut will also be delayed, as he underwent multiple surgeries to address toe and knee issues following Los Angeles' latest World Series win. Kershaw "alluded" to returning from the procedures "at some point in late May or early June," via Gonzalez.

The Dodgers made major additions to their 2025 pitching staff over the offseason, handing Blake Snell a hefty five-year contract worth $182 million and signing Japanese ace Rōki Sasaki.

Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is also expected to make his return to the mound at some point during the 2025 season.

As for Kershaw, he's looking forward to bouncing back and serving as a key piece of the Dodgers rotation as they attempt to defend their championship.