2024 MLB Spring Training Kicks Off with Dodgers Versus Padres
2024 MLB Spring Training kicks off with Dodgers versus Padres; and it is ALL LA. The matchup starts off with Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove walking Mookie Betts, 4 balls, 1 strike and a fouled off ball. Then, Joe rattles off 2 balls, 2 strikes to Chris Taylor. Taylor hits one to centerfield, Bogaerts makes an attempt to get Mookie out at second; but everyone ends up safe. Two men on, no one out.
Musgrove kept up with the trend of getting two strikes on batters. Outman quickly gets two strikes; however, Joe Musgrove hits Outman with a pitch. Bases loaded.
Teoscar Hernandez is next up to bat. Musgrove continues to struggle; especially, with the breaking ball. Hernandez obliterates a very horribly placed breaking ball, knocking two runs in. Padres manager, Mike Shildt, sees enough of Joe, and removes him from the game. Musgrove does not record a single out before leaving the field.
Carter Loewen comes in for Joe, and Austin Barnes comes in for LA. Loewen makes quick work of Barnes; striking him out. For the Dodgers, Gavin Lux is next. And Loewen walks him.
The Dodgers continue getting in some batting practice, as Chris Owings comes to the plate. Owings hits a ball barely into fair territory in the corner of left field; the ball bounces over the wall; being ruled an automatic double. Now the score is 4-0.
Andy Pages is next up for the Dodgers and they continue to demolish San Diego. Pages knocks another 2 runs in. It’s now 6-0. Kevin Paolo hits a home run upping the scoreboard to 8-0, in the first, in spring training.
Shildt pulls another pitcher from the game. At least, he records an out. However, it’s clear, the Padres have some work to do.
Gabe Mosser, comes in for San Diego. And Mookie is back up. Mookie hits it to left field, but Jackson Merrill makes a diving tough play and makes the catch. Taylor steps up and hits the ball to centerfield; which Azocar catches. Finally, 3 outs.
2024 MLB Spring Training Kicks Off with Dodgers Versus Padres
Now, it’s San Diego’s turn to bat. Gavin Stone pitches for the Dodgers. Tatis strikes out. Bogaerts makes contact, however, the ball is caught by Outman in centerfield. Jake Cronenworth pops the ball up, and the first inning is over.
Jeremiah Estrada comes in to pitch for the Padres, while Outman gets another at bat. Estrada strikes out Outman. Teoscar is back up for LA, and Estrada makes quick work of Hernandez, striking him out too. Barnes steps up next and immediately goes down. In 11 pitches, Jeremiah retires 3 batters. A much better performance by a Padres pitcher.
Next, Michael Grove comes into the game to pitch for Los Angeles. Luis Campusano is up to bat, but pops it up. 1 out. Ha-Seong Kim gets a base hit. Merrill lightly taps the ball, advancing Kim to second; but he is out at first. Eguy Rosario is next and Grove walks him. Cal Mitchell comes to the plate. However, he strikes out too. The second is over.
Moving into the third inning, San Diego pitcher, Yuki Matsui makes his debut, and it’s good. 3 quick strikeouts, so a nice pickup for the Padres in free agency.
In the fourth, reliever Steven Wilson got some work in for the Friars. Records two outs, one is another fabulous catch by teammate Jackson Merrill; and gets a final out putting Teoscar away. Dodger Alex Vesia then comes into pitch. Cronenworth homers finally getting the Padres on the board (8-1); Kim walks, Merrill causes a force out at second but arrives safely at first; then Eguy gets a base hit. Two men on base for SD. However, in the very next at bat, the Padres end up stranding two, and we go to the fifth.
Dodgers do not score again. In the bottom of the inning, Jose Azocar gets a base hit, but it does not materialize into another score. However, the Dodgers do score again (four times) in the sixth, making it 12-1. Los Angeles looks strong, and as the super team their offseason moves suggested they would be.
On the other side, Shildt makes another pitching change, the ninth of the game. Yet, it doesn’t help, the beatdown continues. Dodgers score two more times, changing the scoreboard to 14-1. Moreover, the Padres get a couple on in the bottom of the sixth, but does not result in any runs.
The last couple of innings are uneventful. Score remains and ends 14-1. The Dodgers have a lot to be excited for with this showing; while the Padres have more decisions to make in order to get ready for the season. Good thing this game does not count, so there is time. Also, Estrada, Kim, Cronenworth, Merrill and Rosario, Matsui; and Wilson do show some high points for the Pads. Nevertheless, spring training is great for teams to analyze players and strategies; and we are sure both franchises will move forward, making whatever changes that are necessary. Baseball is back everyone, LET’S GO!
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