Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (20-9) escaped the opener against the Marlins (13-16), overcoming an uncharacteristically bumpy Yoshinobu Yamamoto start for a 5-4 walkoff win. Kyle Tucker had his moment, with a bases-loaded two-run single to win it in the ninth. It did rob us of Freddie Freeman playing third base, but I guess that’s fine.
Because of pinch-hit moves, if #Dodgers had sent the game into extra innings tonight, their 10th inning infield would have been 1B — Dalton Rushing, 2B — Max Muncy, SS — Miguel Rojas and 3B …. Freddie Freeman
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) April 28, 2026
This would have been extremely good #content, but the Dodgers settle for becoming the second team to reach 20 wins (Atlanta was first, but had played one more game than the Dodgers entering last night). Today, the Dodgers look for a fourth consecutive win and another series win with Shohei Ohtani on the hill and not at the plate.
 |
 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:10 P.M. | Los Angeles | ||
| CF | Marsee (L) | DH | Rushing (L) |
| LF | Stowers (L) | 1B | Freeman (L) |
| SS | Lopez | C | Smith |
| 2B | Edwards (S) | RF | Tucker (L) |
| C | Hicks (L) | 3B | Muncy (L) |
| DH | Ramírez | LF | T. Hernández |
| RF | Caissie (L) | CF | Pages |
| 1B | Morel | SS | Kim (L) |
| 3B | Pauley (L) | 2B | Freeland (S) |
| P | Junk (R) | P | Ohtani (R) |
Ohtani gets the ball coming off another great start in San Francisco. He did allow a season-high five hits but didn’t walk anyone and struck out seven over six shutout innings. He was pulled at 91 pitches for Jack Dreyer, who gave up two singles and a homer to Patrick Bailey while the Dodger offense got shut out by Tyler Mahle, who came into that game with a 7.23 ERA. Ohtani did hit in that game (0-for-4 with a strikeout) after not hitting in his previous start, as he does today. In that start, Ohtani struck out 10 batters and allowed only two hits over six innings, but allowed his first and only earned run of the season. Today marks Ohtani’s first start on five days’ rest as a Dodger if we ignore two of his pseudo-rehab starts coming off injury last season when he threw 18 and 27 pitches, respectively. The Dodgers have a 12:10 PM game tomorrow and an off day Thursday, but Tyler Glasnow‘s eight-inning start last Thursday makes it a bit harder to flip him and Ohtani for the extra rest. Roberts said Ohtani will be back in the lineup tomorrow.
Janson Junk makes his fifth start of the season this season for the Marlins. Junk has a 3.67 ERA/3.72 FIP in 27 innings but is coming off his best start of the season against the Cardinals. Junk held the Cards to one hit and one walk over five shutout innings but got pulled after only 56 pitches. There didn’t seem to be an injury and it seemed to be more of a case of Clayton McCullough not wanting Junk to face the lineup a third time, so he should be pretty fresh for today’s game. Junk has appeared in the Majors in every season since 2021, but only had 40 innings under his belt in his first four years before making 16 starts and five relief appearances for the Marlins last season. His first five appearances were in bulk relief roles to start the season and he was excellent, allowing seven runs in 22 2/3 innings and starting the season with a four-inning save (shoutout Eric). Five of those runs came in one outing, but he thrived in that role before being moved into the rotation. His time as a starter was less successful with a 4.53 ERA in 87 1/3 innings. There was a rough nine-start stretch for Junk, who allowed between three and six runs in every start over a two-month stretch. Junk has never faced the Dodgers.
The Dodgers do me a very big favor in not having to re-format the entire lineup. Ohtani won’t hit today, but Dalton Rushing takes over the Ohtani role as the DH and leadoff hitter. Everyone else stays pretty much the same in the lineup except for Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez, who flip flop in the order from yesterday. The Marlins took forever getting their lineup out. Liam Hicks DH’d last night with Agustin Ramirez behind the plate, and they swap roles today. Graham Pauley starts at third and Christopher Morel starts at first. Miami also placed closer Pete Fairbanks on the IL after he left the game last night.
——
Blake Snell is making his second rehab start today.
SNELL IS PITCHING AT ONT FIELD ?
— Ontario Tower Buzzers (@towerbuzzers) April 26, 2026
Los Angeles Dodger LHP @snellzilla4 will start on the mound for the Ontario Tower Buzzers Tuesday 4/28 at home against the Lake Elsinore Storm. https://t.co/Du60LLG21N pic.twitter.com/b7eGSY3SRw
Snell made his first rehab outing last Wednesday and failed to get an out in the second inning. He worked around a leadoff single and a walk in the first, but allowed a double, single and two batters to reach by error before being pulled with no outs in the second. The goal for him is to eventually get through five.
——
The Dodgers and Blue Jays made a minor trade. Former Giant Tyler Fitzgerald joins the Dodgers after being designated for assignment by Toronto.
Tyler Fitzgerald will report to Triple A #Dodgers https://t.co/W8gxkLfWLl
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) April 29, 2026
The Dodgers give up some cash for Fitzgerald, who had a bit of a breakout 2024 and hasn’t returned to form since. He played in 10 games in 2023 and was solid, but played 94 games in 2024 and posted a .280/.334/.497 slash line with 15 homers and 17 steals while playing everywhere besides catcher, third and right field. He has played third and right in his career as well. Fitzgerald struggled with a .606 OPS last season and was designated for assignment by the Giants at the end of March. He’s struggled in the Minors this season with three hits in 20 at bats with 14 strikeouts and no walks.
Landon Knack was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man. Knack was a bit of a surprise IL move at the start of the season and is dealing with an intercostal strain.
——
First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM PT and will be on SportsNet LA
