Bizarre injuries, comebacks — and a whole lot of winning: What we’ve learned so far about the Dodgers

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7 hours ago

April 8, 2025

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Alden GonzalezApr 7, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
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After watching the Los Angeles Dodgers secure their first full-season championship in four decades, Andrew Friedman and his front office lieutenants doubled down, adding practically every free agent they wanted over the ensuing offseason and triggering outrage throughout the sport. Their goal was to build one of the greatest baseball teams ever — one whose talent could overcome the randomness of the playoffs, which has prevented a repeat champion each of the past 24 years, and whose depth could overcome the attrition that impedes so many throughout the regular season.

Less than two weeks into the 2025 season, the latter hope is already being tested.

Mookie Betts suffered through a mysterious stomach ailment that caused him to shed close to 20 pounds, keeping him out of the first two games in Japan. Freddie Freeman slipped in the shower and reaggravated the ankle injury he played through during last year’s playoffs, triggering a stint on the injured list. And on Sunday, Blake Snell, the two-time Cy Young Award winner signed to a $182 million contract over the offseason, was shut down with what was diagnosed as shoulder inflammation.

Through that, though, the Dodgers have continually found a way to win. They were undefeated in their first eight games, giving them the longest season-opening winning streak for a repeat champion, and sit 9-2 despite dropping two of three on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies. The season is young, but it feels as if we’ve already learned so much about one of the most decorated teams in this sport’s history.

Below are the six biggest takeaways.

Their offense is even deeper than we imagined

Freeman has sat out the past six games and Betts sat out three of the first five. The Dodgers have yet to roll out their optimal lineup.

It hasn’t really mattered.

Through their first 11 games, they’re doing what they always seem to: come up with timely hits and, mostly, slug. They’re second in the majors in home runs, fourth in hard-hit percentage, seventh in OPS and first in win probability added by a wide margin.

Max Muncy, Enrique Hernandez and Andy Pages are all off to slow starts, but Tommy Edman has brought production from five different spots in the lineup. Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith and Michael Conforto have swung hot bats, and Betts has found enough strength to be a major contributor.

They’ll all inevitably go cold at varying points this season, but others should pick up the slack.

Said Teoscar Hernandez: “That’s just the depth that we have.”

And when everyone is clicking, a starting nine of Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Teoscar Hernández, Muncy, Smith, Conforto, Pages and Edman — in that order or close to it — is the best in the sport.

The return of two-way Ohtani might take longer than we thought

Ohtani went 32 days between throwing off a mound, from Feb. 25 to March 29. Before spring training, the month of May looked like a realistic target for his return to a two-way role. That no longer seems to be the case. Ohtani kept his arm active during his recent shutdown by throwing off flat ground at moderate intensity, but he is essentially starting his pitching buildup from scratch. His bullpen session on March 29 saw him throw roughly 20 pitches, after which Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged, “We’re a ways away.”

This, Ohtani said through an interpreter in Japan, is “according to plan.” He wanted to “prioritize the hitting aspect as we’re getting into the season,” he added, “to get a little breather mentally and physically on the pitching side of things.”

Ohtani is throwing full bullpen sessions every Saturday, with a lighter one in between. He’ll continue to mix in breaking balls, build stamina, proceed toward facing hitters, then begin a quasi-rehab assignment by throwing in simulated games. (Given his importance to the lineup, the Dodgers won’t be sending him out on a traditional rehab assignment.)

There is no timetable for his return to the rotation, and there probably shouldn’t be. Ohtani is coming off a second repair of his ulnar collateral ligament, not to mention a torn labrum he suffered on his non-throwing shoulder. He is again attempting to do something that is largely without precedent. And the Dodgers should have enough starting pitching depth to get by, especially after watching Dustin May roll through the Atlanta Braves in his first appearance in more than 22 months earlier this week.

If Ohtani throws 100 innings during the regular season, it’ll be a shock. What’s most important is for him to be at his best as a two-way player in October.

Roki Sasaki might be more of a work-in-progress than expected

A clip of Sasaki seemingly on the verge of tears from the top step of the Dodgers’ dugout on March 29 made the rounds on social media.

Sasaki had recorded only five outs against the Detroit Tigers, 10 days after recording only nine outs against the Chicago Cubs. Through his first 4⅔ innings in the major leagues, he had walked nine batters. Fastball command was elusive. His splitter and slider weren’t generating enough chase. Just as prominent to evaluators, he looked nervous. Scared, even. Some of those who spent years watching Sasaki in Japan could hardly recognize him. The entire industry knew that Sasaki, still only 23 years old, required seasoning before establishing himself as a top-of-the-rotation starter. But it seemed as if he needed even more than many anticipated.

Saturday, though, provided some much-needed optimism. Sasaki took the mound in the bandbox known as Citizens Bank Park, faced a Phillies lineup that is among the sport’s most dangerous and held his own. He pitched into the fifth inning, at one point retired 12 of 13 batters and, with some good fortune, gave up only one run. Sasaki simplified his repertoire, throwing fastballs and splitters with 63 of his 68 pitches, and made better use of his lower half as he drove toward home plate. As his start prolonged, his confidence seemed to grow.

There will continue to be growing pains, but Sasaki’s third start provided the first glimpse of what he can be at this level. After it was over, he again hung on the railing of the Dodgers’ dugout — only this time he was smiling.

It’s pretty telling of the Dodgers’ star power that Glasnow and Yamamoto, signed to long-term deals totaling more than $460 million in December 2023, were basically forgotten members of this rotation when the year began. But their health and success will be crucial to a talented-yet-highly-volatile rotation.

Yamamoto, who sat out close to three months with a rotator cuff strain in his transition from Japan to the major leagues last year, drew effusive praise from Dodgers officials throughout spring training. They believed that Yamamoto’s age-26 season would see him elevate to one of the game’s best starting pitchers. Three starts in, Yamamoto has done nothing to temper those expectations, giving up three earned runs and striking out 19 batters in 16 innings.

After a 2024 season that ended prematurely because of what was diagnosed as an elbow sprain, Glasnow and the Dodgers worked on making his delivery more compact and revamping his throwing program. He ditched weighted balls and got back to more long-tossing. After his first start of the season, when he shut out the Braves through five innings and struck out eight batters, Glasnow said he felt “more fluid.”

Glasnow’s second start was a struggle; he battled the rain Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, put the first five batters on in the third inning and promptly exited. But the Dodgers have high hopes for Glasnow this season nonetheless. With Snell on the shelf and Sasaki still developing, his success is crucial.

They might actually have a weakness: defense

Betts attempted to turn a double play in Tuesday’s second inning and threw so errantly to first base he had to chase the baseball himself. About 24 hours later, Muncy made two throwing errors and Pages misplayed a ball near the warning track. The Dodgers overcame those defensive mistakes and won anyway, but it underscored what is seen as a potential glaring weakness.

Betts is making an unprecedented transition to shortstop. He has worked since early November to get it right, but if he is merely average at the position, the Dodgers will be happy. Muncy, who doesn’t have elite range, has the lowest fielding percentage among those who have played at least 250 games at third base since the start of the 2022 season.

Pages has a great arm in center field, but scouts have raised concerns about his ability to read balls off the bat. Conforto and Teoscar Hernández, who make up the outfield corners, have combined for minus-16 outs above average over the past two years. Even Freeman, a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman throughout his career, doesn’t move around the way he used to at 35 years old and coming off ankle surgery.

Given the elevated strikeout and home-run rates of this era, defense has never been less important. But as the New York Yankees showed in letting the Dodgers come back in Game 5 of last year’s World Series, it still matters. Very much so.

They have an underappreciated trait: fight

The Dodgers aren’t all glitz and glamor. They’re resilient — hardened by past October disappointment and buoyed by the injuries they overcame to secure a championship last fall. They know how to overcome, and they never seem to be out of games.

“It’s kind of a hallmark of our club,” Roberts said.

It’s showing once again. The Dodgers breezed past the Cubs in back-to-back games in Japan without Betts and Freeman. After a week off, they beat Tarik Skubal, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, on Opening Day. The next night, they erased two separate two-run deficits to win in extra innings. Twenty-four hours later, they won again even though their bullpen had to record 22 outs in relief of Sasaki. On Wednesday, the Dodgers fell behind 5-0 after an inning and a half against a Braves team desperate for its first win and still came out victorious.

Roberts admitted that he was “a little dumbfounded” by watching his team rally to a 6-5 victory that night — both by the defense that triggered the early deficit and the resilience that erased it. The Dodgers had recorded their second walk-off hit — a home run by Ohtani on his bobblehead night — and their sixth comeback win in eight games. They now have a major league-leading seven. Nobody else has more than four.

“The belief is big here,” Snell said. “We believe we should win every game. It’s fun to be around, and it’s fun when everyone knows that we’re gonna find a way.”

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Ohtani falls double shy of cycle in Dodgers’ loss

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2 hours ago

April 8, 2025

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Ohtani falls double shy of cycle in Dodgers' loss

Associated Press

Apr 8, 2025, 12:10 AM ET

WASHINGTON — Shohei Ohtani got going again at the plate Monday night, falling a double short of hitting for the cycle.

The three-time MVP homered, tripled, singled and walked, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ 6-4 loss to the Washington Nationals. It was a nice bounce-back for Ohtani after he went 1-for-11 in a weekend series at Philadelphia.

With the Dodgers down two runs and Max Muncy on third base with two outs in the ninth inning, Ohtani walked on a full-count splitter from Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan.

“He had some really good takes there,” Finnegan said. “He knows the situation, too. He knows I’m not going to give him anything too good to hit. He’s a pro. He worked his at-bat and I was able to sneak back in there 3-2. If I was going to get him out, it was because he was going to chase something out of the zone and he did his job and took ball four.”

Mookie Betts then grounded out to end the game.

Ohtani, however, focused more on the called third strike he took with a runner aboard in the eighth.

“My approach doesn’t really change — it’s to really get on base,” he said through an interpreter. “That fourth at-bat I really should have just taken a hack and see what happens.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani was unselfish in his final plate appearance when he drew a walk with the game on the line.

“It’s kind of hard to say he was struggling, but tonight he was locked in,” Roberts said. “Even that last at-bat to earn the walk versus Finnegan and not try to chase a cycle speaks to being a team player and passing the baton. He had an excellent night.”

On the pitching side, Ohtani is throwing bullpens and getting closer to live batting practice as the two-way superstar rehabs from elbow surgery.

“I feel pretty good with where I am at physically,” he said. “There’s some limitation on how hard I am supposed to throw or how many types of pitches I’m allowed to throw. Once that’s cleared, I will be able to do all of the above. I feel pretty good about throwing live BP.”

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NHL playoff watch: The Rangers’ path to the postseason

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7 hours ago

April 8, 2025

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NHL playoff watch: The Rangers' path to the postseason

Hockey fans often hear about the dreaded Stanley Cup hangover, when a team falters in the season after their championship. But a Presidents’ Trophy hangover?

Last season, the New York Rangers finished on top of the regular-season standings. This season, it’s looking less likely by the day that they’ll even make the playoffs.

When play begins Monday, the Rangers will be six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. With only six games left, they’ll need to come close to running the table, and will also need help from Montreal’s opponents.

Monday’s game is home against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+). The Lightning have clinched a berth but will still be playing hard as they have a chance to catch the Toronto Maple Leafs for the top spot in the Atlantic Division.

After the Lightning, the Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers, then have three straight road games, against the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers. They close out the season with another matchup against the Lightning.

As noted, New York will need to gin up a winning streak here to bolster its chances. As for the Canadiens, they close out with a somewhat easier schedule: home against the Detroit Red Wings, at the Ottawa Senators and Maple Leafs, then home for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Hurricanes.

So that’s the task ahead for the Blueshirts. Will they come through?

With the regular season ending April 17, we’ll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Clinching scenarios
Today’s schedule
Yesterday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Minnesota Wild
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 St. Louis Blues
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Clinching scenarios

The Edmonton Oilers will clinch a playoff spot if they defeat the Anaheim Ducks in any fashion, AND the Calgary Flames lose to the San Jose Sharks in regulation.

The St. Louis Blues will clinch a playoff spot if they defeat the Winnipeg Jets in regulation, AND the Flames lose to the Sharks in regulation.

Monday’s games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets, 7:30 p.m. (NHLN)
Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks, 10:30 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.
Calgary Flames at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday’s scoreboard

New York Islanders 4, Washington Capitals 1
Minnesota Wild 3, Dallas Stars 2 (OT)
Ottawa Senators 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 0
Detroit Red Wings 2, Florida Panthers 1
Buffalo Sabres 6, Boston Bruins 3
Chicago Blackhawks 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
Montreal Canadiens 2, Nashville Predators 1
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Vancouver Canucks 2

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 105.7
Next game: @ FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 101.4
Next game: @ NYR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 98.0
Next game: vs. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 95.8
Next game: @ CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 90.5
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 79.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 85.2
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 5.4%
Tragic number: 6

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 79.8
Next game: vs. CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 1

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 74.6
Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metro Division

Points: 107
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 114.0
Next game: vs. CAR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 103.6
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 94.8
Next game: vs. BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 85.2
Next game: vs. TB (Monday)
Playoff chances: 8.5%
Tragic number: 6

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 84.2
Next game: @ NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 2.5%
Tragic number: 5

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 83.1
Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 4.5%
Tragic number: 4

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 77.8
Next game: vs. CHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 75.6
Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 115.0
Next game: vs. STL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 105
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 111.8
Next game: vs. VAN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 4
Points pace: 103.0
Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 97.8
Next game: @ ANA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 95.7
Next game: vs. SJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 86.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 87.3
Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 1

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 66.0
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 57.5
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 108.6
Next game: @ COL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 6
Points pace: 104.7
Next game: vs. SEA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 100.3
Next game: @ ANA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 91.7
Next game: @ SJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 12.6%
Tragic number: 6

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 88.4
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1.4%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 79.8
Next game: vs. EDM (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 76.7
Next game: @ LA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 54.0
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An “x” means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An “e” means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 21

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 27

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Utah HC to open new training facility in Sept.

Published

7 hours ago

April 8, 2025

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Utah HC to open new training facility in Sept.

Associated Press

Apr 7, 2025, 02:36 PM ET

The Utah Hockey Club will open a new practice and training facility for team use on Sept. 1, the team announced Monday.

The 115,780-square-foot facility, built on the southeastern end of a Sandy shopping mall, will house two NHL standard ice sheets. It will also include training, medical and dining facilities as well as team locker rooms.

Building a practice facility quickly was one of the immediate challenges Utah owner Ryan Smith faced in bringing an NHL team to the Beehive State. The Utah Olympic Oval, which is primarily used for speedskating events, served as the team’s practice facility this season, but it was intended to be only a temporary solution.

“We want to be competitive in the NHL, and to do that you got to have a place where these guys can practice and they can recover, and it’s home,” Smith said. “We did a miraculous job with the Oval, but at the same time that’s not this.”

Players on Utah’s roster had input on the practice facility’s design from the dining areas to the locker rooms. The facility incorporates many of their suggestions.

“We tried to involve them as much as we can in every part of this,” Smith said.

Utah’s practice facility will also be ready for public use next January. It will feature event venues, eight community locker rooms, equipment rentals and a team store. The ice rinks will be available to the public when not in use by the team.