Dodgers Defeat Tigers 5-4 in Domestic Season Opener

Yesterday the Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 Major League Baseball regular season, with a 5 – 4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. This opening day win pushes the Dodgers to a 3 – 0 record, after their two wins against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo. 

Special Appearances Highlight Opening Day Celebrations 

The game kicked off with an electric atmosphere as lifelong Dodgers fan Ice Cube made a grand entrance at Dodger Stadium, cruising in his custom blue Chevy Impala. He brought with him the World Series Championship trophy, proudly presenting it to the passionate fans of Los Angeles.

Dodgers legend Kirk Gibson then showed up on the field to ‘meet Freddy’ for the opening day first pitch. Freddie Freeman and Gibson are famously connected for both delivering walk-off homers in World Series openers – 30 years apart.  

Gibson warmly greeted Freeman and his family before making his way to the mound. There, he tossed the ball to Freeman, who eagerly caught it, both celebrating a moment that was deeply meaningful to them and now, one they would forever share together.

Dodgers Debut 

Starting pitcher Blake Snell made his Dodgers debut on Thursday after signing his $182 million, five-year contract as a free agent in the offseason. The two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed two runs and five hits over five innings, striking out two and walking four. 

The first homer of the day was made by Tommy Edman, when he powered a solo home run to left field in the second inning. This is Edman’s second home run of the season, holding the first homer of the 2025 season back in Tokyo, and now the first homer in Los Angeles. 

Just as the energy began to fade, Teoscar Hernandez  reignited the game with a powerful three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning. The Tigers had been holding a 2-1 lead, until Hernandez blasted the ball to center field. 

The momentum continued with Shohei Ohtani’s solo home run in the seventh inning, giving the Dodgers a 5 – 4 lead. With the final homer of the game, the Dodgers improved to 3 – 0, claiming their first win against the Tigers. 

Health in Question

Utility player Kike Hernandez missed opening day to a stomach bug that left him unable to keep food down. Fans are worried that he may have caught the same illness that had troubled shortstop Mookie Betts the past few weeks. Betts was sidelined from the Tokyo Series and was nearly placed on the injured list, but made a quick recovery just in time for the domestic season opener. 

Though there are concerns Hernandez could be facing the same illness, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters, “It’s something that we would have felt that it would’ve happened earlier, where Mookie has been on the backside of this, and so I don’t think that’s the case, but I’m not sure.” 

Before Game 2 against the Tigers tonight, March 28, the Dodgers will hold their ring ceremony to celebrate their 2025 World Series victory. There’s hope that Hernandez will be feeling well enough to attend and join in the celebration of his championship ring. 

First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET / 7:10 p.m. PT, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto set to take the mound as starting pitcher. 

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