Dodgers Updates: March/April 2024

Dodgers open the 2024 season in South Korea against the Padres in the Seoul Series, 3/20/24-3/21/24

LAD 5 – SD 2, W 1-0, 3/20/24: For the first time in MLB history, an MLB game was played in Seoul, South Korea. The Dodgers and Padres kicked off the season with two games for the Seoul Series. The Dodgers offense started off slow, but in a 1-2 game in the 8th, the Dodgers offense stormed back to steal this game from the Padres with a 4 run inning. Kike Hernandez tied the game at 2 with a sac fly, and Gavin Lux brought a run in on an error. Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani both hit RBI singles to put LA up 5-2. Ohtani went 2 for 5 in his Dodger debut with an RBI single. In terms of pitching, Tyler Glasnow made his Dodger debut, and 5 innings, striking out 3, and allowed only 2 runs to cross. Evan Phillips shut the door in the 9th and the Dodgers won, 5-2. 

SD 15 – LAD 11, L 1-1, 3/21/24: Yoshinobu Yamamoto made his Dodger debut in the second game of the two game series in Seoul and it did not go as planned. Yamamoto struggled with his command and allowed 5 runs to cross in the 1st innings. Yamamoto only pitched 1 inning and threw 43 pitches. LA had to dig themselves out of a big hole. LA scored a run in each of the first 2 innings on a double from Will Smith and a sac fly from Ohtani, to make it a 3 run game. Both teams scored 4 in the 3rd. LA scored on a groundout from Outman, single from Heyward, and a 2 run double from Mookie. In the bottom of the 5th, Mookie launched the Dodgers first home run of the season to make it an 8-10 game. Then, in the bottom of the 7th with LA down 4, Will Smith collected his 4th hit of the night, an RBI single, to make it a 9-12 game. Then, Mookie got a 2 run infield single to cut the lead to 1 run. But Manny Machado ended the Dodgers hopes of coming back, launching a 3 run bomb to put the Padres up 15-11. And that was it. The Dodgers fell to the Padres, 11-15, and split the Seoul Series at one game apiece.

A day before Opening Day, the Dodgers ink Will Smith to a 10 year, $140 million extension, 3/27/24

Just one day prior to Opening Day, the Dodgers made one final huge signing. The Dodgers extended All-Star catcher, Will Smith, to a 10 year, $140 million deal. In his 6 seasons with the Dodgers, Smith is slashing .263, with an .842 OPS, while launching 91 home runs and driving in 308 runs. Smith is considered one of the best catchers in baseball. Since 2021, Smith is 2nd in home runs, RBIs, and on base percentage, and is 1st in walks, runs scored, and OPS. With the contract, Smith will be paid just $14 million a season, which is an extremely good deal for a player of his caliber. For the foreseeable future, the Dodgers will have the catching position locked up.

Opening Day 2024: Dodgers offense surge to a 7-1 victory over the Cardinals, 3/28/24

The Dodgers kicked off their home opener with a 7-1 win. The Dodgers offense picked up right where they left off, scoring 2 runs in the 1st off Miles Mikolas. Betts got on with a walk and then Ohtani doubled in his first Dodger Stadium at-bat. Ohtani received a standing ovation. However, he was tagged out after committing a baserunning mistake, trying to stretch a double into a triple. Freddie drove in Betts on a single and Will Smith singled on his birthday. Max Muncy brought home the second run of the game on a sacrifice fly. Then, in the 3rd, Mookie launched his 2nd home run of the season to put the Dodgers up 3-0. Just a couple pitches later, Freddie tattooed a ball to center for a 2 run shot to make it a 5-0 game. Meanwhile, Tyler Glasnow was dealing on the mound, showing off his nasty pitch mix, striking out 5 batters over 6 innings of work, in his Dodger Stadium debut. LA tacked on a couple more runs in the later innings. LA went up 5 in the 6th on a single from James Outman to score Teoscar Hernandez, who doubled. In the 7th, Max Muncy drove in his 2nd run of the day on a single. Ryan Yarbrough finished the game off with 3 shutout innings out of the pen, and the Dodgers took a 7-1 victory on Opening Day.

Dodgers follow Seoul Series with 3-1 series win vs. Cardinals and sweep of Giants, 3/28-4/3/24

STL 1 – LAD 7, W 2-1, 3/28/24: The Dodgers kicked off their home opener with a 7-1 win. The Dodgers offense picked up right where they left off, scoring 2 runs in the 1st off Miles Mikolas. Freddie drove in Betts on a single and Max Muncy brought home the second run of the game on a sacrifice fly. In the 3rd, Mookie launched his 2nd home run of the season to put the Dodgers up 3-0. Just a couple pitches later, Freddie tattooed a ball to center for a 2 run shot to make it a 5-0 game. Meanwhile, Tyler Glasnow was dealing on the mound, showing off his nasty pitch mix, striking out 5 batters over 6 innings of work, in his Dodger Stadium debut. LA tacked on a couple more runs in the later innings. on singles from James Outman and Max Muncy. Ryan Yarbrough finished the game off with a 3 inning save, and the Dodgers took a 7-1 victory on Opening Day.

STL 3 – LAD 6, W 3-1, 3/29/24:  Bobby Miller had a career best performance as the Dodgers mashed their way to a second straight win. Mookie Betts led the game off with a home run, and has now homered in 3 of LA’s 4 games this season. Teoscar Hernandez has homered in 3 of 4 games this season as well, becoming the first Dodger with a multi home run game this season, launching homers in the 2nd and 4th. Miguel Rojas launched his first homer of the season as well as Teoscar. Bobby Miller had the best game of his young career, notching a career high 11 strikeouts in 6 shutout innings! Things got a little shaky late, as Michael Grove surrendered 3 runs, but Evan Phillips shut the door on a 6-3 win. 

STL 6 – LAD 5, L 3-2 (Final/10), 3/30/24: The Cardinals spoiled Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Dodger Stadium debut with a 5 run 7th inning, defeating the Dodgers in 10 innings. The Dodgers offense struggled to score early, leaving the bases loaded with no out in the 1st and runners on the corners with 1 out in the 2nd. Meanwhile, Yamamoto bounced back from his tough start in Seoul, firing 5 shutout innings with 5 strikeouts. However, there was a rain delay in the 5th, which lasted 30 minutes. Following the rain delay, LA scored 2 runs in the bottom of the inning to take an early lead. But Joe Kelly gave up 5 runs in the 7th. LA chipped away at the lead, and in the 9th, they tied the game on a home run from Betts and a single from Muncy. But LA was unable to bring home the runner on 2nd in the 10th and lost in 10 innings to the Cardinals.

STL 4 – LAD 5, W 4-2, 3/31/24: The Dodgers stormed back from down 4 to beat the Cardinals and win the 4 game series. After a rough start from Gavin Stone, the Dodgers had their work cut out for them. The Dodgers started their comeback with a 2 run 6th on a double from Teoscar Hernandez and a groundout from Outman. Then, in the 8th, Teoscar Hernandez homered to cut the lead to 1. Then, Max Muncy, who came off the bench to pinch hit in the 6th, came through in the clutch, launching a go ahead 2 run home run to put LA up 5-4. Daniel Hudson shut the door, completing the 4 run comeback for the Dodgers.

SF 3 – LAD 8, W 5-2, 4/1/24: LA opened up a three game set versus the San Francisco Giants with an 8-3 win. Mookie led the game off with a triple and Ohtani brought him home on a groundout to start the scoring. In the 3rd, LA struck for 2 more runs on a single from Freddie and a sac fly from Will Smith. James Paxton got the start and pitched well in his Dodger Debut, throwing 5 shutout innings with 5 strikeouts. Teoscar Hernandez broke this one open, launching his 4th home run in his last 4 games to put LA up 6-1 in the 6th. Freddie and Will provided some insurance on a double and single as LA took the win.

SF 4 – LAD 5, W 6-2, 4/2/24: The Dodgers won a close one against the Giants to take a 2-0 series lead. Dave Roberts managed the game a little differently, opting to go with an opener, in Ryan Brasier. This game was a bullpen game for LA. Ryan Yarbrough pitched the bulk of the innings, throwing 4 and ⅓ innings. Alex Vesia, Michael Grove, and Evan Phillips pitched the rest of the game. Meanwhile, Mookie kept his hot streak going, launching his 5th home run of the season, and his 5th in his last 7 games. The home run marked Mookie’s 1500th career hit. LA also scored on a single from Freeman, double from Lux, and a 2 run single for Kike. The Dodgers took a 5-4 win and are 6 and 2 on the young season.

SF 4 – LAD 5, W 7-2, 4/3/24: Shohei Ohtani led the Dodgers to their first sweep of the season, defeating the Giants 5-4. The Dodgers offense provided 4 runs early to help Tyler Glasnow, scoring on a force out, single from Teoscar, and a home run from Miguel Rojas. Rojas has 2 home runs already this season which is remarkable since he hit only 5 home runs all of last year! Glasnow pitched 6 innings and struck out 7. Glasnow did allow 3 runs to cross though. In the bottom of the 7th, Shohei came up and launched his 1st Dodger home run! This ball went 430 feet into right field, giving the Dodgers a crucial insurance run. In the 8th, San Francisco scored 1 run, but it wasn’t enough, as the Dodgers took a 5-4 win and a sweep over the Giants.

Dodgers go 3 and 3 against Cubs and Twins in first road trip of the season, 4/5-4/10/24

LAD 7 – CHC 9, L 7-3, 4/5/24: The Dodgers started off their first road trip of the season with a loss to the Cubs. The offense wasn’t the issue today, but instead the pitching. LA’s offense put up 7 run. Shohei homered for the second straight game and Teoscar Hernandez drove in 4 runs. However, Bobby Miller struggled mightily, coming off his previous start, allowing 5 runs to cross in just 1 and ⅔ innings. The bullpen also struggled, allowing 4 runs the rest of the night and the Dodgers dropped the first game of the series, 9-7.

LAD 4 – CHC 1, W 8-3, 4/6/24: Yoshinobu Yamamoto got his first career win as the Dodgers tied the series against the Cubs. Yamamoto had to work out of trouble, getting out of a bases loaded jam with no outs in the 1st, and another bases loaded jam in the 2nd. Yamamoto finished the day with 8 strikeouts over 5 shutout innings. The Dodgers played small ball on offense, scoring 4 runs. LA scored their first run on a wild pitch, Then, Max Muncy drove in 2 runs on a single. Miguel Rojas knocked in another run on a single and LA got the 4-1 win.

LAD 1 – CHC 8, L 8-4, 4/7/24: The Dodgers defensive struggles cost LA the 3 game series against the Cubs. LA committee 3 errors, allowing the Cubs to score 5 runs off of Gavin Stone. However, only 1 of the runs was earned. A rain delay hit, pausing the game for 2 hours, before resuming. Ryan Yarbrough came in with LA down 7-0, and gave up a home run to former Dodger, Cody Bellinger. The Dodgers scored only 1 run on an RBI double from Shohei, who is quietly starting to swing the bat better of late. LA lost the series 2-1 and the game, 8-1.

LAD 4 – MIN 2, W 9-4, 4/8/24: The Dodgers got back in the win column, completing the comeback against the Twins. After taking an early 1-0 lead on a sac-fly from Freddie Freeman in the 1st, Manuel Margot, who was dealt to Minnesota from LA to clear a roster spot for Kike Hernandez, launched a 2 run homer to put Minnesota up 1. In the 6th, Will Smith continued his hot start, tying the game with a single. In the 7th, LA launched 2 solo home runs to take the lead. James Outman launched his first home run of the season, and Shohei crushed a home run the other way. Evan Phillips shut the door on a 4-2 win.

LAD 6 – MIN 3, W 10-4, 4/9/24: Tyler Glasnow dominated the Twins, as the Dodgers won the 3 game series. Glasnow tied a career high in strikeouts, striking out 14 Twins! Glasnow went the distance, throwing 7 shutout innings along with the 14 Ks. On offense, a pair of three run homers from James Outman and Will Smith gave the Dodgers a 6-0 lead which they never relinquished. The Dodgers will look to sweep the Twins tomorrow.

LAD 3 – MIN 2, L 10-5, 4/10/24: The Dodgers were unable to complete a sweep of the Twins, dropping the final game of the series, 3-2. Bobby Miller had a tough start, only making it through 4 innings, allowing 2 runs to cross. LA did jump to an early lead on an RBI double from Teoscar Hernandez in the 1st. After falling behind by 1, Max Muncy tied the game in the 4th with a home run. But Alex Vesia gave up a solo home run to Edouard Julien, his 2nd of the game, and the Twins regained the lead. Betts popped out and LA lost 3-2.

Photo Credit: MLB.com