last week

It was Brady Murrietta’s silence rounding the bases, then his Darth Vader-like stare directed at St. John Bosco pitcher Jack Champlin after touching third base on Thursday and slowly jogging toward home plate that sent a clear message: Don’t poke the bear.

His two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie and keyed a 5-4 win to prevent the No. 1-ranked Lancers from suffering a three-game Trinity League baseball sweep by No. 2 St. John Bosco.

One day earlier, the intensity level between the two teams reached such a crescendo that after the fiery Champlin got the final out in a 4-1 win at Hart Park, he decided to offer a taunt.

“I was hearing them all game at third base,” Champlin said. “I pointed to the ground and was saying, ‘This is my field.’ A bunch ran out of the dugout toward me and it got bigger than it needed to be.”

There was pushing and shoving as St. John Bosco went nuclear on security for Thursday’s home game, so much so that a security person refused to let a 5-foot-4 sportswriter walk into the Orange Lutheran bullpen after the game until calmer heads prevailed.

Jack Champlin of St. John Bosco is fired up after a two-run triple on Thursday against Orange Lutheran.

(Nick Koza)

The two teams declined to shake hands in a precautionary measure. It was almost comedic, since Orange Lutheran pitcher Gary Morse has played with St. John Bosco pitcher Julian Garcia since they were 8 and texted him Thursday morning to congratulate him on his Wednesday pitching performance. And Murrietta intended to text his friends on the Braves, too.

“It was more to get my boys hyped up,” Murrietta said of staring at Champlin.

Wednesday’s game was particularly important with each team’s ace on the mound. The 6-foot-8 Morse had a 95 mph fastball and gave up two hits and one run with eight strikeouts over six innings. Garcia, who missed his junior season after arm surgery, touched 97 mph while striking out 10 and giving up three hits in six innings. The Braves broke the 1-1 tie with three runs in the seventh inning, keyed by a two-run single from James Clark.

On Tuesday, in St. John Bosco’s 7-4 win, Clark had another big game with two hits and three RBIs.

“Two best teams in the country,” Morse said.

Orange Lutheran (8-3, 1-2) was coming off a championship at the National High School Invitational in North Carolina. It showed off a top pitcher to join Morse in Cooper Sides, a senior transfer from Red Buff who struck out eight in five innings on Thursday in front of dozens of pro scouts.

Asked what he learned about his 11-3 defending Division 1 championship team this week, St. John Bosco coach Andy Rojo said, “I think it continues what we already know that it’s a tough team, a resilient team. We’ve had a lot of high-pressure, high-level games. A ton of one-run games.”

Said Garcia: “It pushed us to show we’re a great team.”

Orange Lutheran coach RJ Farrell saw his team fight back from adversity, and in the Texas-bound Murrietta, he has an MVP candidate capable of igniting the Lancers with his bat, glove and leadership skills.

The two teams could meet again next week during the Boras Classic in Orange County. Otherwise, it would come during a new-look Southern Section Division 1 playoff format that will have 16 teams and start with a best two-out-of-three series to advance. Both teams have shown they have the pitching to advance.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. The Dodgers are on pace to finish 162-0! That might be a record.

Some random thoughts after an opening three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

—It is apparent that the Dodgers will never be out of almost any game. They’re 3-0, and they trailed in all three games.

—Opening day is always fun, filled with pomp and circumstance.

—However, having the starting lineup on opening day come in from center field, walk up a stage and back down it, was a bit much. Even the players seemed somewhat embarrassed, and I was just waiting for someone to turn an ankle on the stairs.

—Shohei Ohtani is hitting only .125. He is so overpaid.

—Clayton Kershaw did really well as an analyst. He seemed to know a lot about the Dodgers. I wonder how?

—Bob Costas told Kershaw he had permission to leave in a few minutes for the ring ceremony. Way to do your homework there, Bob. The ring ceremony was the next day.

—Kershaw sat in the stands next to the dugout during the game. Sitting across the aisle from him was Magic Johnson. Two of the greatest sports legends in L.A. history. We have an embarrassment of riches here.

—Alex Freeland certainly showed why he belongs on the roster. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, Hyeseong Kim went five for five on Saturday.

—It took all the way until the second inning of the second game of the season to get an email from a reader concerned about the team. “They don’t look ready!”

—Will Smith comes through on Will Smith bobblehead night. You can’t write it any better than that.

—OK, the Timmy Trumpet entrance by Edwin Díaz is really cool. If you haven’t seen it, you can here.

—That brings me a to quick poll. Which Dodgers closer had the best entrance?

—Eric Gagne, “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses
—Kenley Jansen, “California Love” by Tupac Shakur
—Edwin Díaz, “Narco” by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet

Click here to vote in our poll.

—Remember in the last newsletter when we talked about Will Klein perhaps reaching a new level after his Game 3 performance last season? Well, he has pitched two scoreless innings and has a win.

—The first three batters in the lineup are hitting below .200, but the Dodgers are 3-0. A good sign.

—If you believe social media, there were apparently a lot of fights in the stands in the opening homestand. I can’t speak as to this season yet, but in the past it has always been ridiculously easy to get around their beer limitation policies. And alcohol has been a prime factor in every fight I’ve ever seen there.

—What a bizarre schedule. Games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but no game on Sunday.

—Take a look at the very, very early NL West standings. Maybe the experts were right about everyone except the Dodgers finishing with a losing record.

Dodgers, 3-0
San Diego, 1-2
Arizona, 0-3
Colorado, 0-3
San Francisco, 0-3

—The Dodgers’ magic number is 158. Too soon?

—There are only 159 games left to go in the season.

Meet Maddie Lee

Jack Harris, our former Dodgers beat writer, has left us to become a Tibetan monk (at least, that’s what I’ve heard). We have a new Dodgers beat writer this season: Maddie Lee, who spent the last few years covering the Chicago Cubs. Here’s a Q&A with her:

Q. Welcome to The Times. What was the road that led you here?

Lee: Thank you. It was a pretty winding road, to be honest. I grew up in Seattle, played Division III softball in Portland, and have covered everything from high school football, to MLS, to the NBA. But the last six years I’ve been a Cubs beat writer, first for NBC Sports Chicago and then for the Chicago Sun-Times.

Q. We will just jump right into the fire: Roki Sasaki. He looks lost at times. Is he really the best pick for the rotation?

Lee: Sasaki’s spring performance rightfully made him a controversial pick. And if his first regular-season start goes the same way, we could very well see Justin Wrobleski coming in to pitch multiple innings behind him. But with Sasaki’s record in Japan, and even last year, the Dodgers are hoping that pitching in games that matter will help him snap into compete mode and pull out a better version than we’ve seen so far. And if that doesn’t happen, they may have to reevaluate.

Q. You covered the Cubs for a bit. Have you detected any big differences in the way the teams do things? Which team has the best press box?

Lee: I haven’t been around the Dodgers enough yet to give a fair comparison between the organizations. But I’ve spent plenty of time in both press boxes. The Wrigley Field press box is roomier, but this time of year it’s also usually freezing.

Q. Why Alex Freeland and not Hyeseong Kim?

Lee: This was another decision that wasn’t rooted in spring performance. The Dodgers thought Kim could get value going to triple A, where he could get his swing and plate discipline back on track with regular at-bats, while also playing multiple positions. On the other hand, they saw a greater development opportunity for Freeland in the majors, where he’d be tested against a higher caliber of pitching. And it’s not a long-term decision. Kim is expected to make an impact on the major-league roster this year. And when Tommy Edman is ready to return from the IL, the Dodgers will have to clear a spot on the active roster for him.

Q. For many of our readers, covering the Dodgers sounds like a dream job. But there’s travel, little free time, not to mention the fact you have to try and find somewhere to live and move all your belongings. What do you do in your little free time to stay sane?

Lee: Let me be clear, it’s definitely a dream job. That will never be lost on me.

Also, what’s this free time you speak of?

Just kidding, most of my time away from the ballpark is spent with my dog, who loves beach walks and hikes.

Q. I understand you once had Tommy John surgery! What was that recovery like, and can you still touch 100 on the radar?

Lee: I had TJ between my freshman and sophomore year in college. I also got nerve damage from the operation, which added a bit of a wrinkle to the recovery, but I played all four years. I was a catcher and luckily my biggest strength was my softball IQ, not any physical gifts. What a shock that I would end up in the press box rather than on the field.

Q. Lastly, some Dodger fans aren’t satisfied unless the Dodgers build a 20-game lead in April and then slowly pull away. Do you have a prediction for how many games they will win this season?

Lee: I like using PECOTA projections as a jumping off point. They have the Dodgers at 103 wins, which would be a big improvement from their 93-win season last year. But the Dodgers obviously dealt with the injury bug last year and underperformed in the regular season. And, of course, Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz were big offseason additions. So, 103 wins feels attainable. I’ll go with 100.

The new rings are here

A detailed look at the inside of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.

(The Champions Collective)

The Dodgers gave out World Series rings on Friday. The diamond- and sapphire-encrusted rings include engravings of the 2024 and 2025 trophies on both the outside and inside of the ring.

The L.A. logo is made up of 17 custom-cut blue sapphires, one for every postseason game the Dodgers played last year.

On the underside side of the ring, the four playoff series are listed, along with “11.01.25,” the date of Game 7 of the World Series.

A detailed look at the inside of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series championship ring.

(The Champions Collective)

The ring top holds dirt collected from home plate during Game 7, visible through a glass window when the ring is opened. Inside the ring sits a band that’s also set with sapphires and a diamond.

The total attendance figure for the 2025 season (4,012,470) gleams in blue on the bottom of the ring. Each player’s ring is also personalized with his signature, last name and number.

Up next

Monday: Cleveland (*-Parker Messick) at Dodgers (Roki Sasaki), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Tuesday: Cleveland (TBA) at Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Cleveland (Gavin Williams) at Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto), 5:20 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Will Smith’s big birthday blast powers Dodgers to season-opening sweep of Arizona

Alex Freeland shows why he made Dodgers’ roster in victory over Diamondbacks

The Dodgers received their 2025 World Series rings. What do they look like?

Swanson: Dodgers’ Andy Pages proves he’s primed for a potential breakout season

Plaschke: Seeing double: Dodgers celebrate titles on a sparkling opening day

Miguel Rojas cherishes final opening day as ‘Uncle Miggy’ in Dodgers’ win over Arizona

Shaikin: Dodgers owner Mark Walter: ‘We’ve got to have some parity’

The Sights and Sounds of 2026 Dodgers Opening Day

The Dodgers are boring. And that is good.

Dodgers Debate: The road to a three-peat

Dodgers’ opening week will celebrate 2025 World Series, but also set the tone for 2026

Shaikin: The signs say Uniqlo Field. You will continue to say Dodger Stadium

And finally

Edwin Díaz comes in from the bullpen for a save. Watch and listen here.

Until next time….

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

PHOENIX — Rams coach Sean McVay could not help repeating himself when asked about star receiver Puka Nacua.

“I trust this kid’s heart,” McVay said three times Monday at the NFL owners meetings.

But do the Rams trust Nacua, who has been at the center of several off-the-field situations, enough to break the bank with a massive extension?

Last week, a woman filed a civil lawsuit against Nacua, alleging that on New Year’s Eve he made an antisemitic statement during a group dinner and later bit her shoulder. Nacua’s attorney told The Times before the lawsuit was filed that Nacua “denies these allegations in the strongest possible terms,” and that Nacua would “pursue all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”

Last season during a livestream, Nacua criticized NFL officials and made a gesture regarded as antisemitic. Nacua apologized, and the Rams and the NFL issued statements condemning antisemitism and discrimination. But after the Rams’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Nacua criticized officials in a social media post from the locker room. The NFL fined him $25,000.

Last week the Seahawks signed receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a record-breaking extension that includes $120 million in guarantees, putting Nacua in line to possibly match or exceed that deal.

If Nacua’s off-the-field actions become a pattern that does not reflect well on the organization, are the Rams hesitant to invest in the 24-year-old star who led the NFL with 129 catches?

“The play on the field is amazing, and then with what the play has dictated and determined there is a responsibility in terms of representing all things not exclusive to just that,” McVay said. “He knows that, those are expectations and we are hopeful that … this will be an opportunity for him to learn and grow, and we are hopeful that he’s a Ram for a really long time.

“But he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to just the production on the field.”

Nacua was one of several topics McVay addressed during a 30-minute session with reporters.

With the return of quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL most valuable player, and the addition of star cornerback Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, the Rams are expected to be a favorite to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.

The Rams traded for McDuffie, an All-Pro who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, to a four-year extension that includes $100 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

McVay said McDuffie “can do a lot of things” that made Jalen Ramsey such a force when he helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI.

“He’s rare,” McVay said of McDuffie. “And then he’s a rare human. … You can’t find anybody that doesn’t love this guy and what he represents.”

Like McDuffie, his former Chiefs teammate, Watson has played in three Super Bowls, winning two titles.

“He’s been in a lot of big-time atmospheres and environments,” McVay said of the 6-foot, 2-inch Watson, “and he’s got some of the length.”

McDuffie and Watson join a secondary that includes safety Quentin Lake, who signed an extension in January, and safety Kam Curl, who re-signed with the Rams this month.

The secondary was not the only position group the Rams considered remodeling.

McVay confirmed a report that the Rams explored trading receiver Davante Adams, who led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches.

“If we felt like it was best for our team, we would have done that,” McVay said, “but we didn’t think it was best for our team, so excited about being able to move forward with him.”

McVay said he spoke directly with Adams about the situation.

“I addressed what those conversations were even though they never really got too far but I did want to acknowledge it,” McVay said. “He’s a grown man, and I think he understood that this is a part of this business.”

McVay said he would “love” for Jimmy Garoppolo to return as Stafford’s backup. But Garoppolo remains a free agent.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins prepares to take a snap against the Rams in December.

(Danny Karnik / Associated Press)

“At this point, when there hasn’t been a decision, it feels less likely than likely, but I don’t want to rule that out,” McVay said of Garoppolo’s possible return for a third season with the Rams.

McVay said that he has communicated with Kirk Cousins and his agent about possibly signing with the Rams. McVay coached Cousins in the NFL with Washington.

“He’s a guy that I have familiarity with, history and a lot of reverence for because of the gratitude from our experiences together.”

Staff writer Steve Henson contributed to this report.

A look at The Times’ top 25 high school baseball rankings for the Southland after the sixth week of the season:

Rk. School (Rec.); Comment; ranking last week

1. ORANGE LUTHERAN (7-1): Gary Morse had 16-strikeout performance; 4

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (9-2): Three-game series with Orange Lutheran this week; 1

3. NORCO (10-1): Three-game series with King; 5

4. CORONA (9-1): Two home runs from Anthony Murphy; 3

5. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (12-1): 12-game winning streak ends; 2

6. HARVARD-WESTLAKE (10-4): Two home runs in North Carolina for Jake Kim; 6

7. HUNTINGTON BEACH (8-2-1): Dane Cunningham is hitting .458; 7

8. LA MIRADA (11-3): Three-game sweep of Gahr; 17

9. SIERRA CANYON (12-3): 5-2 record in Mission League 9

10. ROYAL (11-1): Dustin Dunwoody is 5-0 with 50 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings and 0.00 ERA; 10

11. AQUINAS (6-2): 13 hits in eight games for Johnny Tena; 11

12. BISHOP ALEMANY (9-4): Warriors finally at full strength; 13

13. AYALA (10-1): Big series with Bonita this week; 18

14. CYPRESS (9-3): 2-0 start in tough Crestview League; 16

15. OAKS CHRISTIAN (10-3): Dane Disney, Carson Sheffer eah have 18 hits; 14

16. SOUTH HILLS (12-2): Took two of three from San Dimas; 15

17. SERVITE (9-4): Took two of three games from Santa Margarita; 24

18. SANTA MARGARITA (12-4): Three-game series with Mater Dei; 12

19. THOUSAND OAKS (12-1): Jake Ange hit two grand slams vs. Calabasas; 20

20. NEWPORT HARBOR (12-2): Big Sunset League series vs. Los Alamitos; 21

21. GANESHA (8-0): Wins over Foothill, Mission Viejo; NR

22. SOUTH TORRANCE (11-1): Headed to San Diego for tournament; 22

23 CORONA SANTIAGO (10-5): Put up strong fight vs. Corona; 25

24. EL DORADO (8-6): Hosting National Classic this week 19

25. GAHR (5-7): Tough schedule taking toll; 8

It’s like that time Pinocchio became a real boy: News that was labeled “fake” last week is real today, per the Kennedy Center, and Bill Maher will indeed be the 27th person to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The White House strongly dissed the Atlantic’s reporting (followed by unreporting) last week that Maher was the next in line for the 2026 prize that Conan O’Brien got last year and Kevin Hart picked up the year before that. The Twain honor has been bestowed on comics almost annually since 1998 by the Kennedy Center, a “tired, broken, and dilapidated” building that President Trump slapped his own name on in December and plans to close for two years’ worth of renovations starting July 4 — hence the response from White House flacks.

“Literally FAKE NEWS,” said Steven Cheung, White House director of communications, on his official X account reacting Friday to the Atlantic story. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, said in a statement to the publication, “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award.”

But People reported Thursday that although the Atlantic’s news was deemed “fake” at the time, according to word from a White House official, the situation had “evolved” in the six days since then.

You say tomato, I say to-mah-to? At any rate, Bill’s getting the Twain, given previously to comedic luminaries including Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, George Carlin, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey and Dave Chappelle.

Maher had no response on social media, perhaps reserving his reaction for the upcoming “Real Time With Bill Maher” episode due out Friday on HBO or his next “Club Random” podcast. But he did issue a dryly amusing statement Thursday in a Kennedy Center news release, saying, “Thank you to the Mark Twain people: I just had the award explained to me, and apparently it’s like an Emmy, except I win.”

(Maher’s show has been nominated for Emmy Awards 22 times, from 2004 through 2024, including 13 nods for variety series and the rest for writing, directing and personal performance. It has won exactly zero of those times. Even Susan Lucci only had to wait through 18 Daytime Emmy nominations before she finally won on the 19th — and proceeded to lose out on two more.)

The comic’s statement continued: “I’d just like to say that it is indeed humbling to get anything named for a man who’s been thrown out of as many school libraries as Mark Twain.”

“For nearly three decades, the Mark Twain Prize has celebrated some of the greatest minds in comedy,” Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations for the Kennedy Center, said in a statement of her own. “For even longer, Bill has been influencing American discourse — one politically incorrect joke at a time.”

Maher, a self-described liberal who has no love for the Republican Party, found himself in strange-new-respect territory among conservatives in recent years after he started slamming far-left ideology as ruthlessly as he slammed the far right. Then last spring he accepted an invitation for dinner with Trump at the White House, and many heads exploded.

“OK, as you know, 12 days ago, I had dinner with President Trump, a dinner that was set up by my friend Kid Rock because we share a belief that there’s got to be something better than hurling insults from 3,000 miles away,” said Maher, who lives on the West Coast, on the April 11, 2025, episode of “Real Time.”

“And let me first say that to all the people who treated this like it was some kind of summit meeting, you’re ridiculous. Like I was going to sign a treaty or something. I have — I have no power. I’m a f— comedian, and he’s the most powerful leader in the world. I’m not the leader of anything except maybe a contingent of centrist-minded people who think there’s got to be a better way of running this country than hating each other every minute.”

Maher said he brought with him to the dinner a list of almost five dozen epithets the president had hurled his way over the years, intending to ask Trump to sign it for him. Which the president did. And after sharing some anecdotes from the visit, including some snappy retorts, Maher told his audience that Trump was “much more self-aware than he lets on in public.”

“I never felt I had to walk on eggshells around him. And honestly, I voted for Clinton and Obama, but I would never feel comfortable talking to them the way I was able to talk with Donald Trump. That’s just how it went down. Make of it what you will.”

The Mark Twain Prize will be given to Maher at a gala set for June 28, with Netflix streaming the event at a later date, yet to be determined.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. The long journey to the postseason begins today.

As we embark on the 12th season of this newsletter, there are certain things, like death and taxes, that are guaranteed. Here they are.

—The Dodgers will charge way too much to park in their poorly designed, poorly lit parking lot.

—Shohei Ohtani will have a game where he strikes out 10 and hits multiple home runs. No one will be able to explain how he does this until we learn he was actually sent here by the aliens from “Project Hail Mary.”

—Ohtani will go hitless for three-to-four games in a row and have a bad pitching outing during the same time, leading to some to say he is overpaid.

—Will Smith will catch at least 130 games and be in the conversation for NL MVP.

—The Padres will be better than most are saying and their fans will approach the games with the Dodgers as if it is their World Series.

—The Rockies will be terrible again.

—Teoscar Hernández will continue to struggle as a fielder, but people won’t care as much as his bat will be rejuvenated.

—A pitcher no one has heard of will be signed by the Dodgers off the waiver wire. He will appear in a game and pitch great, maybe even getting the win. The following week, he will be designated for assignment.

—Mookie Betts will win the Gold Glove at short, and while he won’t reach his previous heights at the plate, he will hit better than last season.

—Andy Pages will slump at some point and fans will demand that Ryan Ward, who is hitting .350 with about a million homers in the minors, get a chance. He won’t get a chance and Pages will recover.

—Fans will complain that Joe Davis takes too many games off and isn’t a true Dodger like Vin Scully was, even though Vin took just as many games off for national duties.

—The music at Dodger Stadium will continue to be so loud that even the aliens from “A Quiet Place” will complain. (Editor’s note: Two outer space aliens references in one newsletter. What is wrong with this guy?)

—The most worn former Dodger jersey worn by fans at the stadium will continue to be… Fernando Valenzuela‘s. And it will be for many years to come.

—Max Muncy will look like the worst hitter in baseball for an extended period, then he will hit like Babe Ruth.

—Dalton Rushing will be a decent backup for Smith and will hit well enough that he can spell Freddie Freeman at first base on occasion.

—Freeman will hit .300 again in what will be his last great season at the plate.

—The Dodgers will continue to “give away” games during the season in order to be ready for the postseason. For example, they will allow a reliever to take a beating in a game at the start of long road trip in order to preserve the rest of the bullpen. Some fans will be irate at this, thinking the Dodgers should try to win every game at all costs.

—The Cool-A-Coo will not return to Dodger Stadium and will continue to be missed.

—The Dodgers will continue to call the hot dog they sell a Dodger Dog, even though it tastes nothing like a Farmer John Dodger Dog.

—Only three pitchers will pitch more than 100 innings, but the quality of the staff from top to bottom will be more consistent throughout the season, allowing them to use fewer than 40 pitchers this season.

—Either Blake Treinen or Tanner Scott will continue to pitch poorly, but the Dodgers, again with their eye on the postseason and on how much money they are paying these guys, will continue to trot them out there in hopes they will rebound.

—Some fans will complain about the abhorrent price of going to a Dodger game. They will still go though, and the Dodgers will draw four million, giving them no reason to lower prices.

—Justin Turner will sign a one-day contract with the team and then retire.

—Edwin Díaz will save 30 games and give the bullpen some much-needed stability.

—Kyle Tucker won’t hit as well as hoped, but will be a significant upgrade over Michael Conforto.

—Hyeseong Kim will come up at some point, wow fans with his blazing speed, hit close to .300, and then be sent back down.

—Dave Roberts will have a bad game or two where he makes a decision that seems nonsensical. Some will demand he be fired because “Anyone could manage this team.” Those people will be wrong.

—You will continue to need to subscribe to about a dozen streaming channels to watch all the Dodger games on TV. No one will.

—Yoshinobu Yamamoto will lead the team in victories.

—Organist Dieter Ruehle will continue to find the perfect song for any situation.

—Tyler Glasnow will look unbeatable one start, then get thrown off his next start by a hangnail and pitch like Dave Goltz.

—There will be thrilling victories, agonizing defeats and some boring games. But it will all be worth it as we look around and see all the different types of Dodger fans out there, reminding us that baseball unites us.

—The Dodgers will finish the season 98-64 and cruise to the NL West title. They will not have to play in the wild-card game.

—And that means they will be in the postseason where … anything can happen.

—So, don’t get so worried about the destination that you forget to enjoy the ride.

How many games will the Dodgers win?

We asked, How many games will the Dodgers win this season? After 10,566 responses:

They will win 96-100 games, 46.3%
They will win 101-110 games, 35.5%
They will win 91-95 games, 13.2%
They will set the record by winning more than 116 games, 2.3%
They will win 111-115 games, 1.6%
They will win 86-90 games, 0.9%
They will finish under .500, 0.2%
They will win 81-85 games, one vote

We asked, Will the Dodgers win the World Series this season? After 10,538 responses:

Yes, 79.1%
No, 20.9%

A walking path to Dodger Stadium?

Did you know there is a walking path to Dodger Stadium? There is a one-mile walking path from the Chinatown Metro station to Dodger Stadium. There’s one problem though, to quote Bill Shaikin‘s column on the path: “To go a very short distance safely with a feeling that you’re not going to die is very difficult.”

Read more about this here.

Up next

Thursday: Arizona (Zac Gallen) at Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto), 5:30 p.m., NBC, Peacock, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Friday: Arizona (Ryne Nelson) at Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Saturday: Arizona (*-Eduardo Rodriguez) at Dodgers (Tyler Glasnow), 6:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Dodgers sign right-hander Jake Cousins to one-year deal on eve of opening day

Shaikin: Dodger Walk: A great city needs a walking path to blue heaven. Do it, Frank McCourt

How Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani can put himself in the 2026 NL Cy Young conversation

And finally

Our opening day tradition: Danny Kaye sings the Dodgers song. Watch and listen here.

Until next time….

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — Conservatives are holding one of their largest annual gatherings at a perilous political moment for President Trump and with open division on the right over the war he launched in Iran.

While Trump maintains broad support among conservatives, the war in Iran is more than a wrinkle for activists drawn to his “America First” campaign pledge against getting involved in foreign conflicts. A new AP-NORC poll shows about 59% of Americans think the military action in Iran is excessive. The debate will be a subtext — and likely flare publicly — as thousands of activists, influencers and Republican lawmakers gather at the Conservative Political Action Conference that begins Wednesday outside Dallas.

The event also comes a day after a Democrat flipped the Florida state legislative seat that’s home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

The gathering will be a contrast to the celebratory meeting one year ago when Trump, newly returned to office, vowed to “forge a new and lasting political majority” and Elon Musk wielded a chain saw to symbolize how the Republican administration was slashing the government workforce and red tape.

This year, neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance has been publicly announced as speaking to the gathering. But among those who are slated to speak are big names in the MAGA movement who have voiced conflicting views on the Iran war.

“This is obviously going to be a hot topic,” said John Gizzi, a CPAC veteran and columnist for the conservative media outlet Newsmax, who noted the possibility of greater U.S. involvement over an uncertain length of time.

Some featured speakers are divided over Iran and Israel

Among the featured speakers scheduled at the four-day event is longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon. Bannon said during his “War Room” podcast this month that should the war become “a hard slog,” it could cost the GOP conservative voters ahead of the midterms.

“We are going to bleed support,” Bannon said.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who supports the war, also is on the agenda at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center.

“I think President Trump was exactly right to act to protect Americans,” Cruz said last week in a CBS News interview.

Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s scheduled speaking slot is a reminder of the disagreement among some conservatives about the U.S. military alliance with Israel against Iran.

Gaetz, host of a show on the conservative One America News Network, has said the U.S. has been too cozy with Israel as popular conservative personalities such as Tucker Carlson have challenged conservatives’ longtime bond with the country, prompting criticism from GOP groups, including pro-Israel Republicans, of antisemitism.

Others scheduled to speak include Trump border czar Tom Homan and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who is running for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina.

Trump’s standing is strong among his base

A year after Trump presided over the group’s jubilant conference upon his return to office, he is in a much different place.

At war while worries about jobs and household costs linger, his approval is down. His signature domestic policy, aimed at tightening voting rules ahead of November’s midterm elections, has stalled in a Congress his party controls, while the House Republican majority is in jeopardy and the party’s hold on the Senate is less certain than a year ago.

Despite the dividing lines, Trump enjoys enduring approval from his party’s right flank. Eighty-six percent of conservatives said they approved of the president’s job performance in a February AP-NORC poll.

And while Trump’s supporters remain devoted, some within the most conservative circles say division over Iran could signal trouble for Republicans in November.

Texas Rep. Steve Toth, who plans to attend CPAC, suggested that Trump’s support remains robust among conservatives but that Republican messaging on the war could be stronger.

“From MAGA people, for the most part, I don’t hear frustration with the president,” said Toth, who beat incumbent Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw in Texas’ March 3 primary. “I don’t know that we’re doing a great job at communicating the full ramifications.”

Texas’ GOP Senate primary is a lingering issue

Another stark reminder of the contrast with last year is Texas’ unresolved Senate primary, a particular political headache for Trump.

Texas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton, who is challenging four-term GOP Sen. John Cornyn, not only is attending the event but also has one of the event’s premier speaking roles, the Ronald Reagan Dinner on Friday evening. Cornyn is not attending the Texas conference.

Trump said three weeks ago he would soon endorse one of them after Paxton finished narrowly behind Cornyn in the March 3 primary, though neither received a majority to avoid a May 26 runoff.

Trump implored whoever didn’t get the endorsement to drop out, writing in a social media post that the bitter contest “cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer.”

The deadline for candidates to remove their names from the May 26 runoff ballot passed last week, as Paxton and Cornyn were launching stepped-up attack ads targeting one another.

Beaumont and Catalini write for the Associated Press. Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pa. AP writer Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington contributed to this report.

Taylor Frankie Paul might have whiplash in the wake of a leaked video that derailed her “Bachelorette” debut, but she says her kids are also feeling the sting.

Last week, the embattled reality TV star was gearing up for Sunday’s launch of “The Bachelorette” when a video of a 2023 domestic dispute between Paul and Dakota Mortensen (her then-boyfriend and the father of her youngest son) was leaked to TMZ.

Paul’s initial claim to fame was launching #MomTok in 2020, which precipitated the 2024 Hulu series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Although the incident was documented both in court records and on the first season of the reality series (a portion of Paul’s arrest was shown via police bodycam in Episode 1), the recently leaked video showed some of the altercation.

Paul is seen arguing with Mortensen, she is filmed kicking toward him, and throwing metal barstools across the room toward him. Paul’s daughter was on the couch at the time of the altercation, and toward the end of the video, she is heard crying while Mortensen says, “Stop throwing stuff and help your daughter.”

Paul later pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault, and four other charges were dropped.

As the leaked video made its way across the internet, content creators jumped to post commentary. Tiktok user @turtzc posted a take slamming Mortensen for allegedly leaking the video on their son’s 2nd birthday. “The fact that Dakota did this to the mother of his child on his child’s birthday tells you everything you need to know about Dakota,” he said.

Paul replied to the video, writing, “Worst part is my daughter having to relive and see it all over again years later after extensive work with her and apologies to her about that night.”

She added that her son’s birthday was “taken from him.”

Mortensen has denied that he leaked the video. He told ET that his “No. 1 priority” is protecting his and Paul’s son.

Paul spoke with the outlet and said, “I’ve never touched my children, so for me to see those headlines has been heartbreaking. I’m all for taking responsibility for my own life and actions. There is more to the story, and it just sucks to be known as the crazy girl.”

To make matters worse, reports surfaced that Paul and Mortensen were involved in another dispute in late February. Utah’s Draper City Police Department confirmed that there is an open investigation. As a result of the inquiry, Paul has temporarily lost custody of Ever, the son she shares with Mortensen.

Last week, Paul sat down with “Good Morning America” shortly after the video leaked and news that production on “Secret Lives” had paused.

Paul said it was “hard to say” how she envisioned her future on the show.

“It’s hard to see past this,” she said. “I’m not gonna lie. In this moment it’s just so heavy when your life is broadcast out there in these headlines. It’s like the end of the world. That’s what it feels like. … I will say I’ve been here before, and I got through it and, you know, shared my story and my light. So I’m hoping that I can do that again.”

The feud between California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has escalated after Bonta asked a court to stop Bianco’s investigation into alleged election fraud.

In a 70-page petition filed with the Fourth Appellate District Monday, Bonta wrote that “the Sheriff’s misguided investigation threatens to sow distrust and jeopardize public confidence” in upcoming elections. The investigation, which he also called “sweeping and unprecedented,” is an abuse of the criminal process, he wrote.

Bianco, who is a leading Republican candidate for governor, last month seized more than 650,000 ballots cast in Riverside County in the November election for Proposition 50, which temporarily redrew the state’s congressional districts to favor Democrats.

The sheriff has said that his investigators are looking into allegations by a local citizens group that “did their own audit” and found that the county’s tally was falsely inflated by more than 45,000 votes — a claim that local election officials have emphatically rejected.

Bianco has described his probe as a “fact-finding mission” to determine if votes were fraudulently counted. He has accused the attorney general, a Democrat, of improperly interfering with what he says is a lawful criminal investigation.

In Riverside County, the proposition passed by more than 82,000 votes. Statewide, it passed with about 64% of the vote and a margin of more than 3.3 million ballots.

“Well, well, well, the political corruption in California just gets bigger and bigger,” Bianco said in a social media video Monday night in response to Bonta’s petition.

“Why in the world would Rob Bonta want that count stopped unless he was afraid of what that count would uncover?” he added. “We have an extremely politically biased appeals court, so this is going to be interesting.”

Political observers have said that Bianco, an outspoken supporter of President Trump, appears to be vying for attention from Trump, who has called on the federal government to “nationalize” state-run elections, remains fixated on his 2020 election loss and has falsely claimed widespread fraud.

Kim Nalder, a political science professor and director of the Project for an Informed Electorate at Sacramento State, said that Bianco’s investigation appears to be “an electoral ploy.”

“At this stage in the election, most voters haven’t really tuned into the gubernatorial race, and there are a ton of candidates,” she said. “People who don’t know his background will know now. This is clear signaling.”

The sheriff has denied the probe has anything to do with his campaign.

A poll released last week by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by The Times showed Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton leading the crowded field of gubernatorial candidates by slim margins, with the Democratic vote split among multiple candidates in a left-leaning state.

Bonta’s office said in a statement Monday evening that it was asking the court to pause the investigation “while we work to understand its basis.”

Bonta’s petition revealed that — in addition to warrants issued on Feb. 9 and 23 — the sheriff obtained a third warrant from the Riverside County Superior Court on March 19 to restart a paused recount of the ballots. The warrants now are under seal.

Bonta’s office called the warrants and the affidavits supporting them legally deficient because “the Sheriff has not identified any particular crime that may have been committed by anyone — a necessary predicate to obtain a criminal search warrant.”
Bonta had earlier questioned whether Bianco had concealed important information from the magistrate judge who approved the warrants.

In his petition, Bonta wrote that the sheriff’s department had planned to assign “12 employees working four days a week, five to seven hours each day” to count the votes.

David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research and a former senior trial attorney overseeing voting enforcement for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, agreed with Bonta’s assessment that the sheriff’s probe is a legally deficient “fishing expedition.” He questioned how Bianco got a judge to sign off on three warrants.

“You can’t use a warrant as a PR tool, as something to help your political campaign,” Becker said. “You have to meet certain standards in order to obtain a warrant, because a warrant is extraordinary. A warrant is saying we believe there is probable cause to seize evidence, and we need it now.”

Bianco said in a news conference Friday that a Riverside County Superior Court judge had ordered the appointment of a special master to oversee the count. His investigators had already begun counting, but the tally would start over under the court’s guidance, Bianco said.

“This isn’t about counting yes and no votes,” Bianco said in his social media video Monday. “This is simply counting the total ballots and comparing that total with the number of votes. … Plain and simple. Common sense.”

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. If you told me five years ago that right now we would ‘ be discussing whether the Dodgers could win their third consecutive World Series, I would have laughed. How fortunate we are.

Opening day is Thursday, with the flag ceremony that day and the ring ceremony Friday. So, let’s take a look at the opening day roster, barring an injury or implosion by someone.

Catchers

Will Smith — Some Mariners fans took umbrage that I said Smith was the best catcher in the game with Cal Raleigh second. Consistency lifts Smith to No. 1. If Raleigh has another season like last season, he could move up. And did you notice who started the key games for the U.S. in the WBC? Smith, not Raleigh.

Dalton Rushing — An important season for Rushing, who failed to impress last season. Far too early to throw in the towel on him. Can he become a consistent hitter while playing twice a week? Would Ben Rortvedt have made the team instead of Rushing?

Infielders

Mookie Betts — Remember, last season he was very sick around opening day and lost 20 pounds in two weeks. And he’s not exactly a physical giant to begin with. He then had to come back and learn a new position on the fly. It’s possible he never reaches the MVP heights of the past, but it’s also possible he hits much better than last season.

Santiago Espinal — Hitting .372 this spring and played steady defense, more than earning his way onto the team. Hasn’t had a good season on offense since 2021, but is a career .291 hitter against left-handers, so expect to see him against lefties.

Alex Freeland — He won the utility job over Hyeseong Kim despite having a terrible spring in which he went five for 45, though with 13 walks. There must be something about Kim the Dodgers do not like, though they say they sent him down so he can get consistent daily at-bats. Freeland will get a big opportunity here. Can he deliver?

Freddie Freeman — Here’s betting he becomes a .300 hitter again this season and that his mobility improves at first now that his ankle has had more time to heal.

Max Muncy — Everyone knows what Muncy will provide each season between stints on the IL, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t provide it again.

Miguel Rojas — Shohei Ohtani asked him not to retire. He will be the defensive glue for the infield, will get some key hits, and will help everyone on the infield become better defensively.

Outfielders

Alex Call — Exactly what you want in a fourth outfielder: Good defense with the ability to get on base and spell someone in the lineup without a huge dropoff in quality.

Teoscar Hernández — Says he never felt quite right after his injury early last season. Judging by his spring numbers (.468 with five homers), I’d say he was correct.

Andy Pages — Dave Roberts says Pages is his “pick to click” this season. Considering he hit 27 homers last season, you have to wonder what his numbers will be if he does click.

Kyle Tucker — Will the pressure of a big contract cause him to start slow as it has so many others?

Two-way player

Shohei Ohtani — Just think, Ohtani could hit 40 homers this season and be accused of having a disappointing season.

Tommy Edman will be back at some point, and Kiké Hernández will be back around the midpoint of the season, perhaps sooner.

Rotation

Yoshinobu Yamamoto — There are certain guys who should never be booed later in their playing career after what they have done in the past for the team. Fernando. Orel Hershiser. With his 2025 postseason, Yamamoto has claimed a spot on that list.

Tyler Glasnow — Fans still like to call him Glass-now. Pitched only 90 1/3 innings last season. Has pitched in 100 or more innings in only three of his 10 major league seasons. It would be a miracle if he makes 25 starts this season, but when he does pitch, he’s usually very good and the Dodgers will protect his arm as much as they can to make sure he can pitch in the postseason.

Shohei Ohtani — Will Ohtani win the MVP and Cy Young Award? The only time he came close was in 2022 with the Angels, when he was second in MVP voting and fourth in Cy Young voting. Last season he made 14 starts and pitched 47 innings. My prediction is he receives votes for both, but doesn’t win both as some pitcher will put up better or similar numbers in more innings.

Roki Sasaki — One of the big mysteries of the season. Can Sasaki harness his ability? His emotions seem to overwhelm his ability at times. But he’s only 24. When I was 24, I had just started working at The Times and my emotions overwhelmed my ability at times. It’s easy to forget these are men, not machines. However, after a disastrous start Monday against the Angels, giving up four runs in the first inning, you have to wonder if he will indeed start the season in the majors.

Emmet Sheehan — Went 6-3 with a 2.82 ERA last season before he was moved to the bullpen for the postseason and pitched terribly (8.59 ERA). When Blake Snell is ready to come back, hopefully in May, either Sasaki or Sheehan will either move to the bullpen or get sent down. They are in effect using April to battle for a permanent spot in the rotation.

Bullpen

Ben Casparius — He can be a starter, a short guy, a long man, an opener. He’s a jack-of-all-trades, or, a Ben of all trades. Has walked nine in 7.2 spring innings, so that’s something that can’t continue.

Edwin Díaz — The closer job is his. Mets fans say Dodgers fans should get used to Díaz walking a tightrope when he pitches. We’ll have to wait and see, but as of right now, this is a terrific signing.

Jack Dreyer — Had a solid rookie season and pitched four scoreless innings in the postseason.

Edgardo Henriquez — An electric arm that hasn’t always translated to electric results. He bounced back and forth between the minors and the Dodgers last season and could again this season.

Will Klein — Sometimes one outing transforms a player from being an average player to being a good-to-great one. Was Game 3 the pivot point for Klein, who has a career 5.16 ERA? He has been great this spring. And apparently Klein jerseys have become a top seller, so there will be a lot of people pulling for him.

Tanner Scott — He is in the second year of a four-year, $72-million deal, and he was terrible in Year 1 of the deal. The comment for Treinen below applies to Scott as well. Will the Dodgers use Scott and Treinen as their first non-closer option in high leverage roles at the start of the season?

Blake Treinen — Will the Treinen of 2024 return, or will it be the Treinen of 2025? And if it is the Treinen of 2025, how much leash will the Dodgers give him before giving up? Those will be two key things to watch early in the season.

Alex Vesia — After what he and his wife went through, is anyone rooting against this guy? He will wear his emotions on his sleeve as always and will neutralize left-handers.

Justin Wrobleski — Can give them some length out of the bullpen, plus can step into the rotation if Sasaki or Sheehan prove too unreliable before Snell returns.

Some teams say the Dodgers have an unfair advantage, because Ohtani being a two-way player means the Dodgers can carry nine relievers while most teams can carry only eight. Funny how those teams never complained about this when Ohtani was with the Angels.

At some point, Snell, Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips and Brock Stewart will be back.

Also keep in mind that last season the Dodgers used 40 pitchers, so there will be a lot of churn among that part of the roster. They will start April with these 14 pitchers, but it’s unlikely the same 14 reach the end of April, or maybe even mid-April.

They used 25 position players last season, but it seems like the opening 13 will stay together for a little bit, at least until the first injury.

How many games will the Dodgers win?

It’s that time of year where I ask you how many games the Dodgers will win, and this year I will also ask if the Dodgers will win the World Series again?

So, how many games will the Dodgers win this season?

They will finish under .500 (this will tell me how many Padres/Giants fans subscribe to the newsletter)

They will win 81-90 games

They will win 91-95 games

They will win 96-100 games

They will win 101-110 games

They will win 111-116 games

They will set the record with more than 116 wins

Click here to vote in this survey and the World Series survey. Results will be announced Thursday.

The experts say

Most experts point to the fact the the Dodgers are favorites to win it all among oddsmakers. If you look around at the various oddsmakers, the Dodgers are given about a 28% chance to win the World Series, far ahead of any other team (Seattle usually is second).

But, look at it another way. You could also say there is a 72% chance the Dodgers won’t win the World Series. We have been spoiled the last two seasons. Really, compared to most teams, we have been spoiled ever since Guggenheim bought the team. Winning a World Series is really difficult, even if you have the best team during the season.

I’ll give my predictions on Thursday. In the meantime, Bill Plaschke gave his prediction, which you can read here.

Andrew Friedman speaks….

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman sat down with our new Dodgers reporter, Maddie Lee (we’ll meet her officially soon) and answered some questions. You can read the whole thing here. A couple of highlights:

Q: It’s such a cliche to say you can never have too much pitching, but with this group, are you close?

Friedman: I’ve learned my lesson to never say that we have enough pitching. But I do feel like we are breaking camp with the most talented one through 20 arms — which gets at, obviously, who we’ll break with, and then depth behind it — that we’ve ever had.

Q: The Dodgers are very much caught in the middle of CBA posturing with the current agreement expiring this year. You hear a lot of players saying the Dodgers are doing it the right way and other teams could be doing something similar. On the other hand, the league appears to be floating a salary cap, and plenty of fans are accusing the Dodgers of “ruining baseball.” What’s it been like to see those conflicting narratives?

Friedman: Obviously see it, come across it, hear it quite a bit. But we’re just not that focused on it. We’re a really healthy organization, and the partnership we have with our fans is our guiding light. And we’re doing everything we can to put a team out there that our fans really connect with, and that they feel that partnership with all that they pour into us, and don’t really think about it in any other terms.

And so obviously, there’s a lot of narratives that get extrapolated from that. But our sole focus is on ourselves and the partnership we have with our fans and the rest of it to us, it’s kind of just noise.

The Q&A, which covers several topics, can be found here.

In case you missed it

Swanson: The Dodgers are chasing a three-peat. They can take some cues from the 2002 Lakers

Why the Dodgers are preaching patience as Roki Sasaki continues development

NL West preview: The Dodgers should be heavy favorites, but the Padres could surprise

Ohtani. Yamamoto. Sasaki. A 12-story ‘cultural bridge’ between L.A. and Japan to debut in Torrance

Alex Freeland edges Hyeseong Kim for a Dodgers opening day roster spot

For two-time defending champion Dodgers, the goal is simple: ‘They want to keep winning’

Plaschke: The Dodgers and their fans are geared up for a three-peat. Why the quest will fall short

Yoshinobu Yamamoto smooth in his final spring start before Dodgers opening day

Q&A: Andrew Friedman on team culture, the upcoming season and ‘noise’ around the Dodgers

And finally

Shohei Ohtani hits three homers and strikes out 10 in Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS. Watch and listen here.

Until next time….

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

The Dodgers’ rotation order is set for the first homestand of the season.

To round out the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, after Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound Thursday on opening day, he’ll be followed by Emmet Sheehan and Tyler Glasnow. Roki Sasaki is penciled in for Monday against the Cleveland Guardians, followed by Shohei Ohtani on March 31.

Off days on Sunday and April 2 make it possible for the Dodgers to give all their pitchers at least five days’ rest between their first and second starts without needing a sixth starter.

Left-hander Justin Wrobleski is pegged to be that additional starter when the schedule features less frequent days off. In the meantime, he’ll be available to throw multiple innings out of the bullpen.

After starting the season for the Dodgers in Tokyo last year, Yamamoto is looking forward to opening day at Dodger Stadium.

“It’s going to be a different game, and with a different atmosphere,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “And then we’re coming off the championship year, then this is the first time I’ll be pitching in front of the Dodgers fans [since then].”

Yamamoto, who was on the mound for the final out of the 2025 season, hasn’t pitched at Dodger Stadium since Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sheehan claimed a regular spot in the rotation after returning last June from Tommy John surgery rehab. He had a 2.82 earned-run average through 15 appearances last season.

“I was maybe throwing bullpens right now a year ago,” Sheehan said after his last spring start. “So it’s definitely nice. That’s the main thing, to have my health. Grateful for that every time.”

Sheehan wrapped up Cactus League play with a 5.91 ERA in three starts, but he was encouraged by the progress he made in syncing up his delivery.

Glasnow capped his strong spring with five innings of one-run baseball against the Angels on Sunday.

“When everything’s lined up and feeling good … I think a lot of the other stuff follows,” Glasnow said. “And I was just able to go out and be myself.”

He recorded 11 strikeouts against the Angels, leaning on his curveball as his putaway pitch. It generated a 72% whiff rate, according to Statcast.

“Having my curveball feel so good, I kind of just leaned on it,” Glasnow said. “I’m sure things will change in-season, game to game. But tonight, it was a pretty obvious game plan for me.”

In the summer of 2025, Walt Disney Co. executives placed a big bet on a reality TV star prone to high drama: messy personal relationships and allegations of domestic violence.

Now, Disney’s ABC network could lose at least $70 million with a nearly finished season of “The Bachelorette” sitting on the shelf.

Last week, ABC yanked this season of “The Bachelorette,” which features 31-year-old Taylor Frankie Paul, just three days before the premiere episode was set to air Sunday night. Disney pulled the plug after the emergence of a three-year-old video that showed Paul — the protagonist of Hulu’s massive hit series, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” — physically attacking her ex-partner.

Paul can be seen screaming and throwing metal chairs, one of which apparently struck one of her children who witnessed the altercation. Her onetime partner, Dakota Mortensen, recorded the video of the attack on his cellphone.

Trouble has been brewing around “The Bachelorette” for weeks as Paul was doing publicity for the show.

Draper City, Utah, police have separately confirmed an investigation into a subsequent domestic violence incident in February between Mortensen and Paul. As part of that inquiry, Paul, 31, has temporarily lost custody of the couple’s son, Ever, who turned 2 last week — the day the troubling video came out.

“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm,” said a spokesperson.

Representatives of Mortensen could not immediately be reached for comment. In a statement to People magazine, a representative for Mortensen said that “his number one priority here is protecting” his son, Ever.

Last month, Disney requested an investigation to sort out Paul’s and Mortensen’s differing accounts of the February incident, according to people close to the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly about the sensitive situation.

The scandal has become the first big test for Dana Walden, who last week was installed as Disney’s president and chief creative officer — the day before the video showing a violent Paul was leaked to TMZ.

The episode has raised uncomfortable questions about why Disney made Paul the face of one of ABC’s marquee franchises.

It also has shined a light on the decision-making of Walden’s newly anointed ABC team: Debra OConnell, the chair of Disney Entertainment Television; Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich; and Rob Mills, Disney TV’s executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment.

Disney declined to comment.

The network has not said whether it plans to eventually air Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette.”

But the network made a huge investment, paying a license fee of about $5 million an episode for the season to Warner Bros., said sources familiar with the matter. The season includes nine episodes and other programming elements, including a special that ran immediately after ABC’s Oscar telecast this month, which attracted 5.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

Dakota Mortensen, left, and Taylor Frankie Paul are stars of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”

(Fred Hayes / Disney)

ABC also orchestrated a huge marketing blitz — billboards for the show had sprouted around the country, social media channels were crackling and Paul appeared on ABC’s stalwart “Good Morning America,” where she discussed her role on “The Bachelorette,” where she dated nearly two dozen men in search of her soulmate.

She also acknowledged simultaneously facing domestic abuse allegations, which she called a “heavy time.”

“For me, dating as a mom of three is extremely difficult,” Paul told ABC anchor Lara Spencer. “I was like, I get to go out, get away from my toxic cycle here in Utah, go date, and also have my kids come out and visit me. That to me seemed like, why not?”

Advertisers, including Cinnabon, have also pulled back in light of the controversy.

Viewers have long been fascinated by Paul, who earned notoriety on TikTok and formed a community there called MomTok. Her combative relationships added to the intrigue.

Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has been a massive hit, developing a loyal following and an alternative to the “Real Housewives” franchise on the rival network, Bravo. A clip from the show was included in a Disney video montage of movies, TV shows and other headlining attractions shown to investors last week.

Mills and other Disney executives who oversee ABC and Hulu programming had been looking for ways to reinvigorate “The Bachelor” franchise, and they had taken notice after fans latched on to a playful video that Paul had posted on TikTok, expressing her desire to join the long-running ABC show, which is produced by Warner Horizon.

Comments posted about Paul’s video were intriguing, particularly for viewers who said that they would return to watch “The Bachelorette,” if it featured her.

“I flew out to Utah and met with her and she was serious [about joining],” Mills told The Times two weeks before the controversy. “Then I sent her roses the next day and said, “Would you be ‘The Bachelorette’ and the rest is history.”

Disney recognized that Paul’s relationship with Mortensen was messy.

Disney executives were aware of the altercation in 2023 and briefly debated internally whether to move forward with Paul in a prominent role in “Mormon Wives,” according to a source close to the situation but not authorized to comment. Paul is an executive producer on that show.

The first episode of the first season of “Mormon Wives,” which debuted in September 2024, featured Utah police bodycam footage from the February 2023 fight that was the subject of the just-released video.

The final moments of the most recent season ended with Paul and Mortensen sleeping together again, the night before she was scheduled to fly to L.A. to begin filming “The Bachelorette.” She missed her initial flight, but took a later flight.

Disney also has paused filming on “Mormon Wives” during production of its fifth season.

Over the show’s four-season run, there have been tensions among the castmates, which accelerated as Paul and the other wives pursued fame in other venues, including on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

When the recent allegations of domestic violence surfaced, castmates expressed concerns about working with her, which contributed to the decision to hire an outside law firm to investigate.

The firm was hired, at Disney’s request, by the show’s production firm, Jeff Jenkins Productions, based in Sherman Oaks.

Times Staff Writer Yvonne Villarreal contributed to this report.

A look at The Times’ top 25 high school baseball rankings for the Southland after the fifth week of the season:

Rk. School (Rec.); Comment; ranking last week

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-0): Five shutouts in seven games; 1

2. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (10-0): Big week for Malayke Matsumoto; 4

3. CORONA (7-0): Anthony Murphy hits for cycle, then comes close again; 2

4. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-1): Headed to North Carolina for National Invitational; 3

5. NORCO (7-1): Three-game series with King this week; 5

6. HARVARD-WESTLAKE (8-3): Bishop Alemany exposes pitching issues; 6

7. HUNTINGTON BEACH (7-2-1): 6-0 start in Sunset League; 8

8. GAHR (5-4-1): Three-game series with La Mirada; 7

9. SIERRA CANYON (9-3): Brayden Goldstein has become a top hitter; 9

10. ROYAL (9-1): Sixteen-strikeout performance from Dustin Dunwoody vs. Simi Valley; 10

11. AQUINAS (6-0): Three-game sweep of Arrowhead Christian; 11

12. SANTA MARGARITA (9-2): Freshman Cooper Holland provides lift after losing Brody Schumaker to injury; 12

13. BISHOP ALEMANY (8-3): Warriors about to get stronger by adding Mikey Martinez on Friday; NR

14. OAKS CHRISTIAN (8-2): Opens Marmonte League vs. Newbury Park; 15

15. SOUTH HILLS (10-1): Big series vs. San Dimas this week; 16

16. CYPRESS (8-3): League showdown this week with Foothill; 17

17. LA MIRADA (8-2): Kaden Corns is 3-0 with 2.17 ERA; 18

18. AYALA (8-1): Three-game series with Glendora; 19

19. EL DORADO (8-5): Xavi Cadena has four home runs; 14

20. THOUSAND OAKS (10-0): Three-game series vs. Calabasas; 21

21. NEWPORT HARBOR (9-2): Took two of three from Corona del Mar; 22

22. SOUTH TORRANCE (10-0): Two-game series with El Segundo this week; 24

23. FOOTHILL (9-3): Pitching has been outstanding; NR

24. SERVITE (7-3): Three-game series with Santa Margarita this week; NR

25. CORONA SANTIAGO (9-2): Striker Pence is contributing with his arm and bat; NR

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Today we continue our series looking at the NL West, position by position.

NL West, the third basemen

Let’s look at the third basemen and shorstops, ranked from best to worst. Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page.

San Diego
Manny Machado
Last season: .275/.335/.460, 33 doubles, 27 homers, 95 RBIs, 118 OPS+
Career: .279/.338/.486, 94 OPS+, 124 OPS+

Though, as Yogi Berra famously said, “Nobody likes Manny Machado,” you have to give the devil his due. Machado is one of the best third basemen in the game, not just the NL West. He hits for average and power and is a defensive stalwart at third. It has already been eight years since he was with the Dodgers.

San Francisco
Matt Chapman
Last season: .231/.340/.430, 23 doubles, 21 homers, 61 RBIs, 120 OPS+
Career: .240/.330/.458, 119 OPS+

Similar to Max Muncy offensively, Chapman gets the nod because he is a five-time Gold Glove winner at third and stays in the lineup more consistently.

Dodgers
Max Muncy
Last season: .243/.376/.470, 10 doubles, 19 homers, 67 RBIs, 136 OPS+
Career: .229/.354/.474, 124 OPS+

There will come a time this season when Muncy will go on one of his notorious cold streaks. Some will say the Dodgers should dump him. Nonsense. He is one of the 10 best third basemen in the league and is a steal at only $10 million this season.

Arizona
Nolan Arenado
Last season: .237/.289/.377, 18 doubles, 12 homers, 52 RBIs, 87 OPS+
Career: .282/.338/.507, 119 OPS+

He finished third in MVP voting in 2022, but has been in decline since then. Can a new team help him recapture some former glory?

Colorado
Kyle Karros
Last season: .226/.308/.377, 4 doubles, 1 homer, 9 RBIs, 58 OPS+
Career: .226/.308/.377, 58 OPS+

Yes, he’s the son of former Dodger Eric Karros. Don’t let those offensive numbers fool you, they were in limited playing time. He is one of the Rockies’ top prospects and has a bright future. He is only 23.

Shortstop

Dodgers
Mookie Betts
Last season: .258/.326/.406, 23 doubles, 20 homers, 82 RBIs, 104 OPS+
Career: .290/.369/.512, 135 OPS+

I’ve been writing this newsletter for 12 seasons now, and sometimes I get things very, very wrong. I was against moving Betts to short. But I was wrong. He’s already Gold Glove level there, and here’s guessing his bat rebounds to elite levels this season, because one thing I have learned is to not bet against Mookie Betts.

Arizona
Geraldo Perdomo
Last season: .290/.389/.462, 33 doubles, 20 homers, 100 RBIs, 136 OPS+
Career: .253/.348/.374, 101 OPS+

If his new level of offense reached last season is for real (his previous high in homers was six), then he could easily move up to No. 1 on this list.

San Francisco
Willy Adames
Last season: .225/.318/.421, 22 doubles, 30 homers, 87 RBIs, 111 OPS+
Career: .244/.321/.440, 109 OPS+

He signed a seven-year, $182-million deal with the Giants before last season, then got off to a horrible start, dampening his overall numbers, which were pretty good despite that. There are a lot of good shortstops in the NL West.

San Diego
Xander Bogaerts
Last season: .263/.328/.391, 30 doubles, 11 homers, 53 RBIs, 99 OPS+
Career: .287/.350/.446, 114 OPS+

Still a good fielder, but his offense has regressed, as he has been below average the last two seasons.

Colorado
Ezequiel Tovar
Last season: .253/.294/.400, 18 doubles, 9 homers, 33 RBIs, 83 OPS+
Career: .258/.291/.429, 88 OPS+

Tovar has never met a pitch he wouldn’t swing at, but when he does connect he hits it hard. He won the Gold Glove in 2024, but last season was a setback for him, in part due to injuries.

In case you missed it

Andrew Friedman on team culture, the upcoming season and ‘noise’ around the Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani pitches effectively in first spring training start. ‘He expects perfection’

‘It wasn’t just my name.’ Why Miguel Rojas was bothered by erroneous suspension report

And finally

Max Muncy hits an important home run in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. Watch and listen here.

Until next time….

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Today we continue our series looking at the NL West, position by position.

NL West, the first basemen

Let’s look at the first and second basemen, ranked from best to worst. Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page.

Dodgers
Freddie Freeman
Last season: .295/.367/.502, 39 doubles, 24 homers, 90 RBIs, 141 OPS+
Career: .300/.386/.511, 142 OPS+

Freeman’s ankle never seemed 100% last season, and he still put up solid numbers. He has said he wants to hit .300 again after failing to do so the past two seasons. There are only three current players (minimum 2,000 plate appearances) with a career batting average of at least .300: Freeman, Luis Arráez (.317) and Jose Altuve (.303). The top 10 in career batting average among active players:

1. Arráez, .317
2. Altuve, .303
3. Freeman, .300
4. Trea Turner, .297
5. Yordan Alvarez, .297
6. Bo Bichette, .294
7. Mike Trout, .294
8. Aaron Judge, .294
9. Mookie Betts, .290
10. Yandy Díaz, .290

San Francisco
Rafael Devers
Last season: .252/.372/.479, 33 doubles, 35 homers, 109 RBIs, 140 OPS+
Career: .276/.349/.506, 129 OPS+

Devers was acquired at the trade deadline from Boston. Oracle Park didn’t seem to dampen his numbers as much as it does to others, as he hit 11 homers there and 20 overall with the Giants. He’s not exactly Wes Parker at first base, but he is a solid run producer.

San Diego
Gavin Sheets
Last season: .252/.317/.429, 28 doubles, 19 homers, 71 RBIs, 105 OPS+
Career: .236/.301/.397, 94 OPS+

Sheets was a big surprise for the Padres last season, hitting better than he had in four seasons with the White Sox. He will get the majority of starts against right-handers, but could sit against tough lefties.

“The big thing for me has been controlling the strike zone, getting walks and being disciplined,” Sheets said about his improved hitting this spring. “You get swings like this and you build off the two of those things, you can really put the two of those things together.”

Arizona
Carlos Santana
Last season: .219/.308/.325, 11 doubles, 11 homers, 54 RBIs, 77 OPS+
Career: .241/.352/.425, 112 OPS+

How old is Carlos Santana? He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Dodgers in 2004. He was traded to Cleveland in 2008 for Casey Blake, who retired in 2011. He was a solid player for the then Indians, twice finishing in the top 20 in MVP voting, but he is well into his decline stage now.

Colorado
Edouard Julien
Last season: .220/.309/.324, 10 doubles, three homers, 12 RBIs, 76 OPS+
Career: .232/.336/.382, 99 OPS+

Julien finished seventh in rookie of the year voting in 2023 when he hit .263/.381/.459 for the Minnesota Twins in a little over half the season. It has been all downhill since then. The Twins traded him to Colorado in January, and the Rockies get to see if they can unlock whatever was working for him three years ago.

Second base

Arizona
Ketel Marte
Last season: .283/.376/.517, 28 doubles, 28 homers, 72 RBIs, 145 OPS+
Career: .281/.351/.472, 121 OPS+

He has won back-to-back NL Silver Sluggers, finished third in 2024 NL MVP balloting and had an OPS+ of 145 last season. He is the key to the Diamondbacks’ offense and one of the more underrated players in the game.

San Diego
Jake Cronenworth
Last season: .246/.367/.377, 20 doubles, 11 homers, 59 RBIs, 108 OPS+
Career: .247/.335/.406, 107 OPS+

Cronenworth is one of those guys who don’t make the headlines but quietly puts up steady production every day. Every team needs a player or two such as Cronenworth, a guy you can pencil into the lineup every day and not have to worry about him.

Dodgers
Miguel Rojas
Last season: .262/.318/.397, 18 doubles, seven homers, 27 RBIs, 100 OPS+
Career: .260/.314/.362, 86 OPS+

He apparently had some sort of big hit in the World Series last season. I must have missed it. Hyeseong Kim and Santiago Espinal could also get playing time at second until Tommy Edman is able to return.

San Francisco
Luis Arráez
Last season: .292/.327/.392, 30 doubles, eight homers, 61 RBIs, 99 OPS+
Career: .317/.363/.413, 115 OPS+

How valuable is a guy whose value lies almost entirely in his batting average? Arráez has won three batting titles, three years in a row, with three different teams. He is with a new team again this year. He has mild power, draws few walks, is terrible on defense. But he can get line drive singles all day long.

Colorado
Tyler Freeman
Last season: .281/.354/.361, 20 doubles, two homers, 31 RBIs, 92 OPS+
Career: .247/.324/.342, 85 OPS+

It appears, according to MLB.com, that Freeman has edged out Willi Castro for the job. Either one can play multiple positions and will probably get plenty of time everywhere on a team that is expected to lose 100 games again.

In case you missed it

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s lead-up to Dodgers opening day ‘hard to put into words’

‘There’s endless possibilities.’ Mookie Betts embraces Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s training methods

And finally

Freddie Freeman hits the walk-off homer in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series. Watch and listen here.

Until next time….

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

WASHINGTON — Republicans launched an unprecedented effort on Tuesday to hold the Senate floor and talk for days about a bill that they know won’t pass — an attempt to capture public attention on legislation requiring stricter voter registration rules as President Trump pressures Congress to act before November’s midterm elections.

The talkathon could last a week or longer, potentially through the weekend, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) tries to navigate Trump’s insistence on the issue and Democrats’ united opposition. Trump has urged Thune to scrap the legislative filibuster, which triggers a 60-vote threshold in the 100-member Senate, or find another workaround to pass the bill, but Thune has repeatedly said he doesn’t have the votes to do that.

Instead, Republicans intend to make a long, noisy show of support for the legislation, which would require Americans to prove they are U.S. citizens before they register to vote and to show identification at the polls, among other things. It’s a risky strategy, with no guarantee it will be enough for Trump, who has said he won’t sign other bills until the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act — also known as the SAVE America Act or the SAVE Act — is passed.

The floor debate is expected to eventually end with a failed vote. Republicans need 60 votes to advance the bill to a final vote, but they hold 53 seats, and all 45 Democrats and both independents, who caucus with the Democrats, oppose it.

The debate will “put Democrats on the record,” Thune said. He added that “how it ends remains to be seen.”

The Senate voted 51 to 48 Tuesday to begin the debate, with Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski the only Republican voting against moving forward on the bill.

In a social media post on Tuesday morning, Trump issued a warning to any Republican who doesn’t support the bill: “I WILL NEVER (EVER!) ENDORSE ANYONE WHO VOTES AGAINST ‘SAVE AMERICA!!!’”

Creating strict voter registration rules

Trump says, without evidence, that Democrats can only win in the midterms if they cheat and explicitly said Republicans need the SAVE America Act to win in November. The House passed the legislation earlier this year, but the Senate turned to other issues as it became evident that Republicans didn’t have the votes to pass it.

But Trump made clear he wasn’t satisfied and pushed the Senate to act. The Republican president has said he won’t sign other legislation, including a bipartisan housing bill backed by the White House, until the voting bill passes.

The bill contains a slew of provisions that Trump and his most loyal supporters have pushed as part of a broad effort to assert federal control over elections. It would require voters nationwide to provide proof of citizenship when they register and to show accepted voter identification when casting a ballot.

It would also create new penalties for election workers who register voters without proof of citizenship and require states to hand voter data over to the Department of Homeland Security so federal officials could screen for voters who are in the country illegally.

Trump also wants new provisions added to the bill, including a ban on most mail-in ballots.

“It’ll guarantee the midterms,” Trump said of the bill last week. “If you don’t get it, big trouble.”

Democratic opposition to the bill is firm

Democrats and many groups that champion voter access say there is little evidence of noncitizens voting and say the bill would disenfranchise millions of voters — including Republicans — by creating new burdens to prove citizenship.

It is already illegal to vote if you are not a U.S. citizen, but the bill would lay out strict new rules for paperwork that most people would have to present in person to register to vote. Opponents of the measure say those documents are not always readily available for many people and argue that it would kill voter registration efforts and unfairly penalize young people who are registering to vote for the first time, married women who change their last name and people who cannot travel to present their documents, among other groups.

While Republicans have focused on the bill’s new requirements to show identification when they show up to vote, Democrats say they are most concerned that the legislation would allow the federal government to take voters off the rolls.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that Democrats are not opposed to voter identification but “this is about purging the voter rolls in a massive way, so you never even get the chance to show a voter ID when you showed up to vote.”

Expect a show on the Senate floor

Trump, backed by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, has pushed for a talking filibuster, which would force Democrats to talk for days or weeks to delay passage of the bill. But Thune and the larger GOP conference rejected that idea, arguing that it would end in failure after giving Democrats a stage and the opportunity to offer endless amendments, potentially adding their priorities to the bill.

Republicans are instead taking over the floor with their own speeches, proceeding under regular order but operating outside the normal time limits that are customary when debating legislation. Democrats are expected to answer with their own procedural hijinks, potentially forcing Republicans to come to the floor at all hours for votes, meaning they will need to stay close to the Senate for the duration.

Lee said last week that it’s unclear how it will all play out. He said he thinks Trump “understands that we need to put in an aggressive effort here.”

“And a lot of that,” he said, “is going to have to be determined in real time as we go about it.”

The extent of Trump’s satisfaction with the process, Lee said, “will depend on whether, in his view, we gave it everything we have.”

On Monday night, Lee was rallying voters in Trump’s base on X.

“Once we’re on this bill,” he wrote, “we must stay on it until it’s passed into law.”

Jalonick writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Today we start a series looking at the NL West, position by position, and we meet our new sports columnist.

NL West, the catchers

It seems like a good time to look at the starting lineups for all the teams in the NL West. The Dodgers are prohibitive favorites to win the division, with some prognosticators thinking they will be the only team in the division to finish above .500.

Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projection has the NL West finishing like this.

1. Dodgers, 105-57
2. San Francisco, 81-81
2. San Diego, 81-81
4. Arizona, 79-83
5. Colorado, 61-101

It seems to me at least one other team will finish above .500, but, that’s why they play the games. A lot of projections had Toronto not even making the postseason last year. So take it with a grain of salt.

Now, let’s look at the catchers, ranked from best to worst. Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page.

Dodgers
Will Smith
Last season: .296/.404/.497, 20 doubles, 17 homers, 61 RBIs
Career: .264/.358/.476, 128 OPS+

Smith, who turns 31 on March 28, is the best catcher in baseball and he is a steal at only $14 million a season through 2033. Of catchers who started at least 81 games last season, he was eighth in caught stealing at 25.5%. Some will argue that Cal Raleigh or Alejandro Kirk are better, but when you consider the total package, I put Smith first. Of course, if Raleigh’s huge step up in offense that he took last season is for real, then he could certainly slot ahead of Smith.

Arizona
Gabriel Moreno
Last season: .285/.353/.433, 12 doubles, nine homers, 40 RBIs
Career: .281/.349/.404, 108 OPS+

Moreno has inflammation in his right elbow, but it appears he will be ready for opening day. He has had quite a few injuries the last couple of seasons.

Colorado
Hunter Goodman
Last season: .278/.323/.520, 28 doubles, 31 homers, 91 RBIs
Career: .248/.292/.482, 102 OPS+

Goodman was one of the few bright spots for the Rockies, who lost 119 games last season. Last season was his first good season at the plate. He was an All-Star and won the Silver Slugger award. Earlier this spring training, he had this to say about his defense: “I mean, last year for the whole first half, was kind of like I was in fight-or-flight mode the whole game behind the dish. So just trying to get to where I’m comfortable on the plate and working to get these guys strikes and call better games and stuff like that.”

San Francisco
Patrick Bailey
Last season: .222/.277/.325, six homers, 55 RBIs
Career: .230/.287/.340, 78 OPS+

Bailey is solid defensively, and has proven to be a master at when to challenge a ball/strike call under the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System (more on that in a future newsletter). Bailey has also focused on his swing in the offseason and has been a much better hitter this spring.

San Diego
Freddy Fermin
Last season: .251/.297/.339, 13 doubles, five homers, 26 RBIs
Career: .264/.309/.376, 91 OPS+

The Padres acquired Fermin from the Royals at the trade deadline last season, and loved how he handled the pitching staff, much like the Dodgers with Ben Rortvedt. He will be backed up Luis Campusano, who hit .336 in triple A but isn’t exactly Johnny Bench behind the plate.

Meet our new columnist

We have a new columnist at The Times, Mirjam Swanson. She will be covering all sports, but here’s guessing she will be writing quite a bit of opinion about the Dodgers. So, let’s get to know her.

Q. Welcome to The Times. What was the road that led you here?

Swanson: Thank you! Oh, it’s been a long and windy road, scenic let’s say. I grew up in Southern California, so it was always my dream to work for the L.A. Times. But journalism is a tough business. And I know I’m not the only mom out there who has turned down and/or taken jobs based on what was best for her children. Plus, I’ve always had this problem of getting really into whatever I’m covering, whether it was action sports or local politics or World Series runs. So while the dream of working at the Times persisted, I was also always happy with what was right in front of me, never desperate to move on. But here I am now, finally, better for the journey, I think.

Q. You will be an all-sports columnist, but we’ll focus on the Dodgers since this is a Dodgers newsletter. Do you have a favorite moment in Dodger history?

Swanson: The moment in Dodgers history that will stick with me most is …

… hmm. The Dodgers’ history books could fill a library — where to start?

I was in the backseat of the family car on a freeway somewhere in Southern California listening to Kirk Gibson put his signature on the improbable 1988 season with his impossibly clutch pinch-hit home run in Game 1 of the World Series. And I was in the ballpark when Gibby met Freddie in 2024, feeling the stadium shake and watching on a TV in the overflow media workspace, feeling awe and angst. Freddie Freeman with grand timing that night, right on deadline.

Watched Shohei Ohtani turn Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS into a Little League game with 10 strikeouts and three home runs. There might never be a greater individual game — or there might be. Put nothing past Ohtani, including the inconceivable.

And I won’t forget my L.A. neighborhood erupting over Miguel Rojas’ “no-way!” ninth-inning solo shot in Game 7 of last season’s World Series.

But all of that is a long and windy way to arrive at this: It’s Andy Pages’ catch.

That’s not recency bias, either. It’s that the play was so confounding, so unexpected, the plot twist no one saw coming. Violent and athletic and hilarious. A whole movie in 10 seconds.

We might not have expected it to be Rojas to hit that season-saving home run, but our brains are trained to accept seeing a home run in such a moment. But an outfielder coming out of nowhere, running down and over his own teammate to make an improbable, impossible season-saving catch for the final out in the ninth inning of Game 7? Wasn’t on my bingo card.

I think about that play daily, it was so cool.

Q. What do you see as the biggest obstacle for the team this season?

Swanson: The answer is health, of course. But the Dodgers are so deep, they’ve done as much as a club can to fortify itself against inevitable injuries and ailments throughout a season, so it feels like less of a concern than it’s supposed to be.

So it’ll be mental. Having to handle the weight of trying to three-peat, of everyone either desperately wanting to see them do it or rooting desperately against them doing it. Every other team is going to treat their games against the Dodgers like it’s the World Series. That should make for good baseball, but it also will test these guys’ psychological stamina.

Manager Dave Roberts said the other night that he felt more pressure to repeat than three-peat, and that at this point, the Dodgers are playing with house money. That might be true, but there’s no ignoring the historic opportunity, either. Heady stuff for a team that’s set up as well as a team can be to do it if players can keep their edge.

Q. I get quite a bit of email from fans saying Roberts is overrated and that anyone could manage this team to the World Series. What are your thoughts on Roberts as a manager?

Swanson: I know some of these people.

And I hope they’re on no one’s jury, because evidence evidently means nothing to them.

A guy I know, an otherwise relatively rational dude, told me after the Dodgers repeated: “The only bad thing about this is Dave Roberts is going to be around longer.”

As if there was any bad thing for fans of the team about the Dodgers’ repeating. You really have to want to be unhappy about something if you’re anti-the manager who has won three World Series crowns in six seasons.

As if it’s automatic to pilot a team with so many talented players, to keep them happy and motivated and locked in, to manage these millionaires with understandable egos. That’s actually so much harder to do than to coach up a team of prospects with modest expectations.

And to pull so many of the right levers along the way, too?

Yeah, Roberts is elite at what he does. And apparently his haters are elite at what they do too.

Q. Is a lockout inevitable after the season, and does baseball need a salary cap?

Swanson: Sigh.

Yes, probably.

No, probably not.

All the salary cap is going to do is save the smarter-than-you Dodgers’ ownership group money while everyone keeps chasing them. It won’t level the playing field, but it will give owners cover for not paying their players as much as they could — and possibly cost us all priceless opportunities to watch Ohtani play baseball while the owners and players arm wrestle over finances offstage.

Sigh.

Q. Lastly, how many games will the Dodgers win this season?

Swanson: Fewer than 100.

Yes, they’re the most talented team money could buy. But every other team is going to give everything it has in every game against the Dodgers. And the Dodgers aren’t going to match that energy every time out — or 117 times out, if you’re hoping the major league record + World Series three-peat combo is on the menu.

The regular season isn’t what it’s really about for the Dodgers. They’ll be conservative with their approach, they won’t push anyone to do anything that could diminish their performance in the postseason. They’re going to play it cool … until they’re not.

And it’s going to drive observers along the way nuts, because it will cost them some games. But let’s try not to fret too much, Dodgers fans. Try not be too hard on Roberts.

Because only one number really matters: Three.

Dodger Stadium has a new field name

The Dodgers agreed to a deal granting Uniqlo naming rights to the field at Dodger Stadium. Though not officially announced by the Dodgers, the name likely will be Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.

Uniqlo is a Japan-based clothing brand. This is just another example of the revenue the Dodgers are generating because of Shohei Ohtani.

But here’s guessing that no one will call it Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.

Opening day starter will be…

Dave Roberts said Monday that Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the opening day starter on March 26 against Arizona at Dodger Stadium. It will be the second straight opening day start for Yamamoto, and after all he did in the postseason last year, it is much deserved.

And the number is….

Some of you who haven’t seen any spring training games have asked what numbers the new Dodgers are wearing.

Edwin Díaz is wearing No. 3, last worn by Chris Taylor and also worn by such Dodger luminaries as Steve Sax, Willie Davis and Billy Cox. He becomes the 40th Dodger to wear No. 3.

Kyle Tucker is wearing No. 23, last worn by Michael Conforto (I hope that’s not a bad omen) and also worn by, among others, Adrián González, Eric Karros, Kirk Gibson, Jim Wynn, Claude Osteen and Don Zimmer.

In case you missed it

Yoshinobu Yamamoto named Dodgers’ opening-day starter for second straight season

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani apologizes for ‘shortcomings’ in Japan’s early exit from WBC

Dodgers reportedly agree to deal with Uniqlo for naming rights to Dodger Stadium field

Swanson: Yoshinobu Yamamoto might not wear a cape, but he has super powers

‘Bigger than baseball.’ Why being in Puerto Rico for WBC meant so much to Kiké Hernández

Blake Snell throws first bullpen session of spring training, taking key step forward

Dodgers prospect James Tibbs III attempts to show staying power after multiple trades

And finally

Kyle Tucker hits his first home run with the Dodgers. Watch and listen here.

Until next time….

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

PHOENIX — It’s only fitting that the pitcher who recorded the Dodgers’ final eight outs of the World Series will take the mound on opening day, as the club tries to pick up where it left off in 2025 and chase a third straight championship in 2026.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto will toe the rubber for the March 26 opener at Dodger Stadium against the Arizona Diamondbacks — the second straight year he’s had the honor and the first time at home, after pitching last season’s opener in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.

Roberts added Yamamoto is expected to return to Camelback Ranch soon, after participating in the World Baseball Classic with Team Japan. The Samurai Warriors, seeking a second straight WBC title, were eliminated by Team Venezuela Saturday night in the quarterfinals.

Yamamoto is expected to make one more start in the Cactus League before opening day, although the date has yet to be scheduled, according to Roberts.

Shohei Ohtani returned to Dodgers camp Monday morning, and Roberts plans to have a conversation with him soon about configuring his throwing plan leading up to regular season play. Per Roberts, Ohtani threw four innings in a simulated game while with Team Japan last Thursday.

“He’s going to get here and throw a bullpen,” Roberts said, adding: “I’m trying to figure out when we can get him into a game, but it should be here in the next day or two, to take some at bats. But as far as his progression, there’s going to be a bullpen soon, and [we’re] trying to figure out what day he’s going to pitch this week. It should be this week, but I’m not sure which day yet.”

Ohtani has not pitched in a Cactus League game and did not pitch in the WBC. Roberts does not expect the four-time MVP to be fully stretched out by the start of the regular season. Still, as Roberts notes, he’s further along than he was at this time a year ago, when he was working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

“I think this year we’re certainly north of that, I don’t see how we won’t be able to get to three or four innings in a major league game, so that’s certainly a better jumping-off point than last year, so we’ll see how it goes,” Roberts said.

Beyond Yamamoto, Ohtani and trusty veteran Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers’ back end of the rotation is still taking shape. Though Roberts had considered a six-man rotation to begin regular season play, he indicated Monday that he expects the club to use a five-man rotation, noting that things are still “fluid.”

Last week, Roberts said he “didn’t see a world in which Roki Sasaki doesn’t break [camp] as a starter.” That would leave one rotation spot up for the taking, with 25-year-old Justin Wrobleski, 26-year-old Emmet Sheehan and 27-year-old River Ryan among those in the running.

PHOENIX — It’s taken Santiago Espinal less than three weeks to make an impression on Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

“It’d be hard to imagine him not being on our team,” Roberts said last week. “He’s having a great spring, man. He’s just a good player. It’s good, because I didn’t really know much about him, but seeing him every day, [he’s] fun to watch.”

An All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, the 31-year-old Espinal muddled through a pair of lackluster seasons with the Cincinnati Reds in which he rated as a minus-WAR (Wins Above Replacement) player and slashed .245/.294/.322 over 232 games.

It led to him getting taken off the Reds’ 40-man roster at the end of last season and sent to triple-A Louisville — a minor league assignment he rejected, making him a free agent. He signed with the Dodgers on Feb. 16 on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

It’s an opportunity Espinal has seized.

He leads the Dodgers in home runs (2) and RBIs (9) while posting a .500/.519/.900 slash line. With utilitymen Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández opening the season on IL, there is an opening for Espinal to stick on the club’s roster. A versatile glove, Espinal played all four infield positions and both corner outfield spots for the Reds last season. And at least to this point in spring training, he’s shown an improved bat.

“I feel like the offense part of it, I’ve been working consistently with the hitting coaches, just looking at videos, looking at little details,” Espinal said last week. “There’s either something going on with my lower body or something going on with my upper body. Where are my hands at, all this stuff, so that’s something that we literally every day just work on. So just make sure that my body feels great.”

One simple modification that has brought success to Espinal is getting the bat off his shoulder and attacking the count early. A more aggressive approach has served him well thus far in camp.

“Being more aggressive in my swing path,” Espinal said. “Make sure that it’s there. Make sure that it’s straight to the ball and not opening up and that stuff, but it’s a constant work that we’ve been doing every day and so far, it’s been great.”

The Dodgers’ Santiago Espinal rounds third base to score a run against the Seattle Mariners during during a game on Feb. 23.

(Chris Coduto / Getty Images)

The torrid hitting — which includes a two-homer game last week against the Reds — and how he’s carried himself has paid off for Espinal.

“[He’s fitting in] seamlessly,” Roberts said. “He’s a baseball player. It’s in his blood. You see it. He’s a smart player. He knows the type of player he needs to be to be a Major League player. He has fun playing, but there’s a focus when he plays. He plays with enthusiasm, which is tempered, which is great. You can see him and [Teoscar Hernández] obviously have a history. I love the player. I love the guy.”

Though he hasn’t been a Dodger for very long, Espinal says he’s been trying to learn as much as he can from the cornerstones of the team’s lineup — including his fellow Dominican and former teammate on the Blue Jays.

“When you see Mookie [Betts], when you see Freddie [Freeman], [Max] Muncy, I played with Teo, and he’s actually one of the best hitters in the game, you know you have it in the locker room,” Espinal said. “You also want to pick their brain. You also want to ask questions. And you also want to see how they work, how they go about their business. To me, I think that’s just the most important part of it, just to learn from them.”

It appears to all be leading to a spot on the opening-day roster, which considering where he was at the end of last season and even at the start of February, is quite the turn of events.

“It would be amazing,” Espinal said of making the 26-man roster. “It would be amazing, and I’ve just got to let my work talk for it. And so far, that’s what I’m doing and I’m just going to keep working for it.”

Tom Brady‘s return to the football field will take place on U.S. soil.

Right here in Los Angeles, to be specific.

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic, featuring Brady and a slew of other NFL stars and athletes, will take place March 21 at BMO Stadium, the venue that is also slated to host flag football during the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The event was originally scheduled to take place on the same date, but at a location more than 8,000 miles away at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia.

No official reason for the relocation has been given, although the move was made amid increased tensions in the Middle East after the United States and Israel began military strikes against Iran this month. Last week, Iran used two drones to strike the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital city.

The event will feature three 12-player teams. Brady, the retired seven-time Super Bowl champion and minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will co-captain the Founders FFC team, which will be coached by Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton.

A second team, Wildcats FFC, will be co-captained by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, with San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan coaching. During a March 18 draft, the two teams will be built from a pool of athletes that include Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, former Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr., four-time Super Bowl-winning tight end Rob Gronkowski and WWE star Logan Paul.

The third team in the event is the U.S. national flag football team, the reigning IFAF flag football world champion coached by Jorge Cascudo and captained by Aamir Brown and Darrell “Housh” Doucette.