The Dodgers are where they were expected to be through the first weekend of the season, unbeaten heading into their three-game series against the Guardians that starts on Monday. The part that is a…
The Dodgers are where they were expected to be through the first weekend of the season, unbeaten heading into their three-game series against the Guardians that starts on Monday.Ohtani singled to right field in his first at-bat of the season, but went hitless in his other seven at-bats in the Dodgers’ three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks made a concerted effort to take the four-time MVP out of the series, and they managed to do that for the most part.Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani grounds out during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesHe walked four times. He was hit by a pitch. And in the second game of the series, with the score tied in the eighth inning, he hit a grounder that advanced Alex Freeland from second base to third. Freeland went on to score the winning run.Will Smith’s two-run, eighth-inning homerTalent alone would make the Dodgers formidable. Eight of their hitters have played in All-Star Games, and any one of them could be the hero of any particular night.Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith celebrates with right fielder Teoscar Hernandez after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesBut what they showed in the Diamondbacks series was that they won’t force something that isn’t there. If the opposing pitchers aren’t throwing them anything to hit, they’ll take their groundout or walk and pass on the responsibility to the hitter behind them. “Those are the things that aren’t going to go in the box score, that people aren’t going to talk about, but that’s how you win baseball games throughout the course of the season,” Freeman said. “It’s team baseball, and you’ve seen it the last couple days.”The Dodgers trailed in each of the three games. Their offense went into a slumber after their 8-2 win on Opening Day, collecting only four hits on Friday and six on Saturday. “We’re not always going to throw out 15 hits a night or hit a bunch of homers, but we still hang in there, take good at-bats,” manager Dave Roberts said. “As long as we have out, they’re gonna keep fighting. “You’re going to hear this word a lot: Grinding. Just really trying to grind at-bats and wait for these guys to make a mistake and not get yourself out. That’s what we did. That’s what we’ll do.”Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, left, and relief pitcher Edwin Diaz congratulate each other after the Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. The relievers in particular were lights out, contributing 11 ⅔ scoreless innings in the three games against the Diamondbacks. Their performance alleviated concerns about the bullpen, which was a major problem last season. When Emmet Sheehan lasted only 3 ⅓ innings in his start on Friday night, Jack Dryer, Ben Casparius, Tanner Scott,has transformed the bullpen, allowing Roberts to deploy the other relievers in more favorable situations because he doesn’t have to worry about saving any of them for the ninth inning. Sheehan’s form should be a concern, especially if Roki Sasaki lays an egg in his scheduled start on Monday. One starter unable to pitch deep into games can strain a bullpen. Two of them can destroy it, which could be what happened last year.Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia celebrates after forcing Arizona Diamondbacks’ Carlos Santana out at first during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. Their offense was just so-so. Their star player didn’t hit. And they won every game. “Obviously, we’d love to get more hits than we had the last couple days, but I think with our lineup, no one’s going to worry about that,” Freeman said. “It’s going to happen.”Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani grounds out during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesLos Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith celebrates with right fielder Teoscar Hernandez after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesLos Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, left, and relief pitcher Edwin Diaz congratulate each other after the Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia celebrates after forcing Arizona Diamondbacks' Carlos Santana out at first during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. Former Tiger Woods employee blasts golf pro as 'terrible driver,' reveals why he likely refused urine sample after arrest Stream It Or Skip It: 'Jo Nesbø's Detective Hole' On Netflix, Where A Troubled Detective Tracks Down A Serial Killer Who Is Terrorizing Oslo
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