It’s Time For Dodger Baseball! Opening Day has officially arrived at Dodger Stadium, and the Dodgers were determined to start their quest to a third consecutive title by grabbing a win against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Opening Day is always a special day for Los Angeles as it marks a fresh start for the Boys in Blue. However, Thursday’s festivities were elevated by the buzz around Los Angeles on what the Dodgers accomplished last season and what they could accomplish this season. Last year, the Dodgers became the first team in a quarter century to successfully defend their World Series title winning back-to-back titles. Now, this Dodger team has the opportunity to etch their names in history and become the third Major League franchise (the first in National League history) to three-peat. After bolstering their championship roster this offseason with new star additions in Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, the expectations and excitement were sky-high for the Dodger community.
The evening started with the final celebrations of the previous year. Players made heroic intros from center field debuting their gold-outlined uniforms to commemorate their back-to-back championships. Before the game, Dodger players were treated by Shohei Ohtani, as he gave them Seiko watches with the message, “Let’s Three-Peat.” Fans cheered as the 2025 World Series championship banner was unveiled all the while actor Will Ferrell drove Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas (carrying the last two World Series trophies) around the stadium in a Dodger-themed lowrider. Even co-owner Magic Johnson threw the first pitch to Shohei Ohtani, making it a pitch from Showtime to Sho-time! But besides all the new jerseys, pregame festivities, and hype there was only one mission from the Dodger players: win. As Vin would put it, “after all the fuss and feathers, it’s time for Dodger Baseball!”
As the Opening Day starter for the second consecutive year, Yoshinobu Yamamoto looked to solidify his ace status and contend for a Cy Young Award. After three scoreless but hard-earned innings from Yamamoto, Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo got the Diamondbacks on the board with a two-run blast. However, the World Series MVP found his usual rhythm and retired nine straight batters after, making that Perdomo home run the only runs conceded within six strong innings. Yamamoto would show off his nasty splitter and mastery of changing speed, striking out six and tossing a quality start in his season debut.
On the other side, Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen seemed to cruise past the Dodgers by controlling the count, getting an efficient four innings with 51 pitches and only giving up one hit. However, the Dodgers’ calm and depth would get the best of him, as the more the Dodgers saw Gallen, their at bats got better and eventually bombarded him in the fifth inning. After third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez reached base, Andy Pages crushed a 1-2 curveball into the left field pavilion.
Pages, who batted 4-for-51 in postseason and struggled at the end of last season, started out the season with a much-needed home run while flipping the momentum to the Dodgers as they took the lead and opened their offensive floodgates.
After Gallen was taken out, the Dodgers pounced on the Diamondbacks’ struggling bullpen and in the seventh inning, the Dodgers offensive starpower began to shine. Ohtani reached base after getting hit by pitch and Kyle Tucker followed with his first Dodger hit and RBI by smoking a heater into the right-center gap, scoring Ohtani. Right after, Mookie Betts got his first RBI by staying on top of a sinker up and driving it to center, scoring Tucker to make it 6-2 Dodgers.
While Freddie got robbed of extra bases by an amazing leaping grab at the left field wall by Jordan Lawlar, Will Smith immediately brought the Dodger crowd to their feet as he blasted a two-run homer to score Mookie and push the lead to 8-2. On 16 pitches, the Dodgers ambushed Diamondbacks reliever Taylor Clarke and didn’t look back.
The vibes were high and the energy kept going in the top of the eighth, as World Series Game 3 hero, Dodger reliever Will Klein, entered with lights down, music up and crowd cheering.
After a 1-2-3 inning by Will Klein and another in the ninth by reliever Tanner Scott, the Dodgers closed the game and took care of business, winning 8-2 as Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” joyfully played for the first time this year.
The Dodgers’ pitching down the stretch was dominant, retiring 18 of the last 19 Diamondbacks hitters. Coming up next, the Dodgers will look to keep the good vibes going Friday where they will get their 2025 World Series Championship Rings and go again against the Diamondbacks.
For the Dodgers, things look as bright as ever. The new star, Kyle Tucker got his Dodger career off to a fast start with an RBI double and a run scored, while Yamamoto received run support that was so hard for him to get last season. With more than 53,000 fans supporting them, there’s nothing but good vibes at Dodger Stadium. The marathon has officially started and the Dodgers seemed determined on their journey to get a historic three-peat.