LA’s Freeway Series Before Opening Day

On Sunday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers will kick off the three-game Freeway Series against their cross-town rivals, the Los Angeles Angels. This series marks the final set of spring training games before a mandatory rest day on Wednesday, leading up to the highly anticipated domestic Opening Day on Thursday, March 27. 

Offering a Preview of the Upcoming Season

The Freeway Series is an annual exhibition matchup between the two Major League Baseball teams in the Los Angeles area. The name comes from the major freeways that connect the two ballparks—Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium. Although the series doesn’t count toward the regular season standings, it provides an exciting preview for Southern California baseball fans, showcasing both teams’ rosters and offering a glimpse of the upcoming season’s potential. 

After the first game is hosted at Dodgers stadium, the final two games will be at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Monday and Tuesday. Concluding the exhibition season, the Dodgers will have a stadium full of enthusiastic fans ready for the 2025 MLB Season on Thursday, when regular season presumes since their return from Tokyo. 

In Cactus League play, the defending champion Dodgers currently stand at 12-8, while the Angels are 10-16. 

While it’s TBD who will be starting for the Dodgers, right-hander Jose Soriano will be starting for the Angels. Soriano was 6-7 with a 3.42 ERA in his 22 appearances with the Angels in the 2024 season. In five spring training starts, he is 0-2 with a 4.30 ERA. 

Since their last meeting on September 4, 2024, this will be the first time the two rivals have played each other since the Dodgers won the 2025 World Series Title. 

Rough Season for the Angels

The Angels currently lead the series 77-57, with five games tied, having won two of three in last year’s Freeway Series. However, the team is still working to recover from a difficult 2024 season, in which they finished 63-99, setting a franchise record for most losses. It was the Angels’ ninth straight losing season and their 10th consecutive year without a playoff appearance

Mike Trout, an 11-time All-Star and three-time MVP, played just 29 games for the Angels last season before requiring season-ending knee surgery. This year, he will transition from center field to right field in an effort to give his body a better chance at recovery. While the team’s struggles last season weren’t entirely due to Trout’s absence, his undeniable talent and value to the team are clear. 

The Angels struggles are compounded by the fact that the Dodgers now have superstar player Shohei Ohtani, in his second season with them. In 2023, Ohtani signed a $700M, 10-year contract with the Dodgers, ultimately leaving the Angels. 

The Freeway Series not only intensifies the rivalry between the two Los Angeles teams, but it also serves as a painful reminder for the Angels of the incredible talent they once had in Ohtani.

After the Freeway Series concludes on March 25, the Dodgers will kick off their domestic home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 27 at Dodger Stadium. Meanwhile, the Angels will begin their regular season against the White Sox in Chicago on Thursday, March 27.

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