The reigning World Series champions grinded through the first four innings of the 2026 MLB season with just one hit to show.<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Dodgers \u2014 aiming to become the first National League team in history to win three straight World Series \u2014 kicked off Opening Day festivities at Dodger Stadium on Thursday inauspiciously.<\/p>\n
They were aggressive against Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen \u2014 swinging early in counts and making solid contact \u2014 but outside of a leadoff single from Shohei Ohtani and a second-inning walk to Max Muncy, there wasn\u2019t much to write home about.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s the thing about this supreme Dodgers lineup. Face it a third time through at your own risk. It won\u2019t stay quiet for long. It\u2019s far too potent, much too experienced to not come to life \u2014 especially in front of a blue and white sold-out crowd of 53,712 Opening Day enthusiasts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the word to say is relentless,\u201d manager Dave Roberts said. \u201cIt\u2019s a relentless lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n
Muncy led off the fifth with a single to right. Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez\u2019s swinging bunt single won\u2019t do much for exit velocity, but it got the job done. And when Gallen hung a 2-2 knuckle-curve to Andy Pages, the budding center fielder did not miss it, and promptly sent it 400 feet over the left-center fence \u2014 planting the Dodgers on the scoreboard with a lead they would not relinquish.<\/p>\n
Homers from Pages and Will Smith will steal the headlines in the Dodgers\u2019 8-2 rout of the D-backs on Opening Day, but it\u2019s their savage lineup that should carry them through another 162-game slate and into what they hope will be another lengthy October run.<\/p>\n
The Dodgers\u2019 starting nine includes a combined 19 Silver Sluggers. They signed the top free-agent available in Kyle Tucker over the winter and promptly made him their No. 2 hitter. They again boast one of the most dynamic offenses in baseball. On Thursday, they picked right back up where they left off.<\/p>\n
Andy for the lead! pic.twitter.com\/uUhvg76ish<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEveryone, one through nine, even guys who come off the bench, just continue to put up good at-bats,\u201d Tucker said. \u201cWhether they get a hit or not, just continue to grind out at-bats. get walks.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone can hit a homer here. Everyone can slug. Everyone can move runners over when they need to. Everyone, just as an overall group, has really good at-bats.\u201d<\/p>\n That was evident in the bottom of the seventh, when the Dodgers tagged the D-backs\u2019 bullpen for four runs. The rally didn\u2019t start ideally. Reliever Taylor Clarke dinged Ohtani on the hand with a first-pitch cutter to start the frame. Tucker followed by lacing a double \u2014 his first hit in a Dodgers uniform \u2014 to score Ohtani, and Mookie Betts drove in Tucker with an RBI single. Freddie Freeman\u2019s high drive to left looked like it could clear the fence on contact, but a stellar grab from left-fielder Jordan Lawlar kept the ball in the yard.<\/p>\n No matter. Smith pummeled a changeup inside for a two-run home run a few pitches later.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been a part of some really good lineups, but from top to bottom, it\u2019s tough to get through, especially three times,\u201d Betts said.<\/p>\n From Game 7 of the World Series to Game 1 of the 2026 season. Hello, Will Smith! pic.twitter.com\/ocnlxyzMHB<\/a><\/p>\n