Cody Snavely
Los Angeles Dodgers (8-0) versus Philadelphia Phillies (5-1)
PHILADELPHIA— After finishing up a six-game homestand of back-to-back sweeps of the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers are 8-0 to start the 2025 Major League Baseball regular season, their best start since moving to Los Angeles.
However, not only is it the second-best start in franchise history, it is the best start of a defending World Series champion, breaking the 1933 New York Yankees, who started their season to a 7-0 start.
The Dodgers are staring at a perfect season as they embark on their “first” road trip of the season, which will include six games, all on the East Coast.
First in their way are the 2024 National League East champion Philadelphia Phillies, who are off to a terrific start to their 2025 regular season, winners of five of their first six games.
For the Dodgers, they’ll deploy their top arms in sophomore righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 23-year-old rookie Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow.
Opposing them will not only be the environment of Citizens Bank Park, which is notorious for making an away team’s life a miserable experience, but two elite southpaws in Jesús Luzardo, Cristopher Sánchez, and veteran righty Aaron Nola.
It’s arguably the first look at the two biggest favorites in the National League. It will be the first of six games the two will play this season and possibly an early season preview of an October meeting.
Pitching match-ups
Game One: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0, 2.70 ERA) vs Jesús Luzardo (LHP) (1-0, 3.60 ERA)
Game Two: Roki Sasaki (0-0, 5.79 ERA) vs Aaron Nola (0-1, 8.44 ERA)
Game Three: Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs Cristopher Sánchez (LHP) (0-0, 1.69 ERA)
Game Times
Game One: 3:45 PM PT, Apple TV+
Game Two: 1:05 PM PT, SNLA, NBC Sports Philadelphia +, FS1
Game Three: 10:35 AM PT, SNLA, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Who’s in & who’s out?
Much is the same on the injury front for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they head to Philly for the start of a six-game road trip on the East Coast.
The first significant change for the team, however, is the transfer of right-handed pitcher Kyle Hurt to the 60-day Injured List to make room on the 40-man roster for recently acquired outfielder Esteury Ruiz.
The other significant injury update involved all-star first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is considered day-to-day after slipping in the shower and falling on his surgically repaired ankle, an injury he sustained in the final weeks of last season.
Freeman participated fully in the Dodgers’ pregame workout in Wednesday’s series finale against the Atlanta Braves but hinted that the Dodgers would likely keep him out for the following series due to yesterday’s travel day.
However, while the team traveled to Philadelphia on Thursday, the Dodgers retroactively placed Freeman on the 10-day Injured List on March 31st. Freeman had missed five of the Dodgers’ first eight games this season and will miss the rest of the road trip.
Lastly, the Dodgers also have right-handed pitchers Evan Phillips and Tony Gonsolin start their minor league rehab assignments yesterday in Triple-A OKC. However, neither arm will be available until mid-April.
60-day Injured List (6): Clayton Kershaw, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt
15-day Injured List (5): Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, Tony Gonsolin, Emmet Sheehan, Edgardo Henriquez
10-day Injured List (1): Freddie Freeman
Unlike the Dodgers, who have a multitude of players on their Injured List to start the 2025 regular season, the Phillies have a modest two players on theirs.
The first significant injury is to the Phillies’ starting rotation, which will be without veteran left-handed arm Ranger Suárez, who is on the 15-day Injured List with back tightness.
Due to the injury, the Phillies were forced to have tumultuous starter Taijuan Walker make the Opening Day starting rotation, which, depending on who you ask, is awful for the Fightin Phils.
On the position player side, the Phillies are also without utility bench bat Weston Wilson. He strained his oblique during spring training, widening the Phillies’ search for a bench piece.
10-day Injured List (1): Weston Wilson
15-day Injured List (1): Ranger Suárez
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