Perhaps odd to say, but the Dodgers rolled into Opening Day across MLB with a 2-0 record thanks to their Japan Series mini-sweep, and they picked up where they left off against the Tigers. The Dodgers scored all their runs on homers from Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernandez, and Shohei Ohtani in a 5-4 victory.
The domestic Opening Day hype videos were honestly insane.
These monsters want more. #OpeningDayLA pic.twitter.com/UMy4CUwUEY
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 27, 2025
Even MLB got in on the action.
Ice Cube rolled in with the trophy.
Ice Cube and the World Series trophy at #OpeningDayLA? You Know How We Do It. pic.twitter.com/1zcyK8otbO
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 27, 2025
Ice Cube delivered the World Series trophy to the Dodgers’ home opener ? pic.twitter.com/EHV2gG1Oht
— ESPN (@espn) March 27, 2025
Raising the banner.
Raising the banner for the 2024 World Series Champs! #OpeningDayLA pic.twitter.com/pFP841TFta
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 27, 2025
Kirk Gibson threw out the first pitch to Freddie Freeman, which was just a great touch.
Gibby, meet Freddie!
Kirk Gibson throws out the first pitch to Freddie Freeman prior to the @Dodgers game. #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/q4WjZFTXx2
— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2025
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Tigers ace Tarik Skubal cruised through a nine-pitch 1st to start his game, but Tommy Edman cranked his second homer of the year in the 2nd for an early 1-0 lead.
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
He also faced a pair of singles after two outs in the 3rd but managed to escape, and a great play by Ryan Kreidler robbed Edman of extra bases before a single in the 4th that could’ve made a difference.
KREIDLER HAS IT COVERED ? pic.twitter.com/3xn4hmRYLw
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 28, 2025
On the other side was Blake Snell, who started well by cruising through a 1-2-3 1st that included his first strikeout as a Dodger.
Blake Snell’s first strikeout as a Dodger to end a scoreless debut inning. pic.twitter.com/oCrNRxntI0
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 27, 2025
Then started the Snell traffic as a walk and a single cornered the runners with nobody out. However, he escaped after a roller at the plate cut down the runner at third, and he was able to get the next two batters.
After giving up just a single in the 3rd, the 4th was rough. A walk to Spencer Torkleson started the inning, and Manny Margot singled to put a pair on. He did get the next two batters, but then walked Jake Rogers to load the bases and then uncorked a wild pitch to score Torkleson to tie things up at 1-1, though he did escape without further damage.
wild pic.twitter.com/MGBczMX6i9
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 28, 2025
The 5th was yet another mess, as with one-out he surrendered back-to-back singles Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene. He then walked Torkleson for a third time to load the bases, and Margot came through for the Tigers again with a sac fly for a 2-1 lead, again limiting the damage to just a run.
Manny Margot puts us ahead! pic.twitter.com/mep4J6gpOw
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 28, 2025
That proved important when Skubal came back out for the 5th, as Andy Pages got a one-out single and Mookie Betts worked a two-out walk, which set the table for Teoscar Hernandez, who unloaded on a first-pitch fastball to center for a three-run homer and a 4-2 lead just like that.
TEO KNEW. pic.twitter.com/CKyw4vhGkh
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2025
That started the battle of the pens, and Ben Casparius immediately got in trouble during the 6th following relieving Snell. A walk and a single set the table for Kerry Carpenter to pinch-hit, but he rebounded by getting him to pop-out, notching a strikeout, and getting a grounder to escape.
Alex Vesia couldn’t avoid damage in the 7th despite no traffic. With one down, he gave up a no-doubter to Torkleson to cut the lead to 4-3, then struck out the other three batters.
First home run of the year is a TORK ? pic.twitter.com/nmzQwBYBc0
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 28, 2025
After John Brebbia went 1-2-3 in the 6th for the Tigers, it was none other than Shohei Ohtani who answered for the Dodgers in the 7th, flipping an oppo homer to left off Brenan Hanifee to make it 5-3.
Shohei delivers on #OpeningDayLA! pic.twitter.com/9yx4vQ7TyV
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2025
With a run of lefties coming up, Tanner Scott entered in the 8th, but gave up a lead-off triple to Zach McKinstry. That was eventually cashed in by a Carpenter sac fly to make it a one-run game again at 5-4.
After Beau Brieske dispatched the Dodgers in the 9th, it was Blake Treinen to close the game out. He faced some trouble after a lead-off single, stolen base with one out, and a walk. However, he settled down and eventually got a pair of a strikeouts and a foul pop to end it.
Nasty pitches from Blake. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/MuCjH985sT
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2025
Blake Treinen with an adventurous save. pic.twitter.com/9fPZasXPcS
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 28, 2025
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3-0 with a win on Opening Day. Not bad.
