WASHINGTON –– The Dodgers’ offense kept on mashing Saturday in a 10-5 rout of the Washington Nationals.
But it came at the cost of the regular season’s first injury.
In the top of the first inning at Nationals Park, Freddie Freeman hit a two-run double that scored Kyle Tucker from second and Mookie Betts all the way from first. But when the Dodgers took the field in the bottom half of the inning, Betts was out of the game, suffering from lower right back pain, according to the team.
For one day, at least, Betts’ absence didn’t slow down the club’s resurgence at the plate.
After shaking off an opening week slump with a 13-run outburst Friday, they jumped all over Washington’s shaky pitching staff again, scoring nine times in the first five innings en route to a second-straight 16-hit display.
Freeman led the way with a pair of two-run doubles, following his first-inning drive with another in the second. Andy Pages continued his blistering start to the season, going 3-for-5 with a three-run homer in the fifth (already his third of the season) to finish the day with a .500 batting average and 10 total RBIs.
Kyle Tucker also reached base four times, with a pair of singles and a pair of walks. Will Smith had three hits, while Shohei Ohtani and Alex Call added two each.
That all gave Tyler Glasnow plenty of run support, taking the stress off in his six-inning, two-run, nine-strikeout gem.
But as the Dodgers (6-2) waited to learn more about Betts’ status, concern hung over an otherwise dominant day.
Betts’ injury aside, that the Dodgers’ offense continues to find its footing.
In a lackluster opening homestand, the team’s lineup scored 23 runs with a .237 batting average in six games.
In back-to-back wins over the Nationals (3-5) this weekend, they’ve already matched that 23-run total while hitting at a .386 clip, including 10-for-25 with runners in scoring position.
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
If Betts is forced to miss time, of course, it will create complications. Though he had gotten off to a slow start, hitting just .179, he made timely contributions –– such as a go-ahead two-run homer Friday –– and was flashing more pop than in his career-worst offensive performance last season.
If the Dodgers have to replace him, it would likely mean Miguel Rojas getting regular starts at shortstop, and Alex Freeland playing more regularly at second. Santiago Espinal would also figure to get more at-bats.
The last two days have shown what happens when they can.
Since it would be hard to pick just one with the way the Dodgers have swung the bats this weekend, let’s go off the beaten path.
On Saturday, the team was 3-for-4 on ABS challenges.
During the first week of the season, the Dodgers had been fine, if selective, when using MLB’s newly introduced system. They ranked eighth in the majors with a 62% success rate, saving most of their 13 attempts for the later innings of games.
Against the Nationals, however, the team used ABS challenges early and often. In both the first and second innings, catcher Will Smith successfully challenged calls that led to strikeouts, getting a called third strike against James Wood and another that put Curtis Mead in an 0-2 hole.
It was the same story offensively, with outfielder Alex Call getting a strikeout negated by appealing on a called third strike in the third inning. The overturned decision kept his at-bat alive, allowing him to hit a bloop RBI single two pitches later.
Unfortunately for Ben Casparius and Edgardo Henriquez, they were the only real options Saturday. Casparius gave up a two-run homer to CJ Abrams in the eighth relief appearance, and Henriquez allowed another run in the ninth.
Outside of long man Justin Wrobleski, they are only two relievers this year to have allowed more than one run.
Still, the Dodgers’ bullpen as a whole has gotten off to a strong start. Entering the day, the team’s 2.77 bullpen ERA ranked ninth in the majors –– an early, and notable, improvement from the team’s 4.27 mark last year that ranked 21st.
The Dodgers will go for a three-game series sweep Sunday afternoon, when Roki Sasaki will take the mound looking to build off his four-plus-inning, one-run start last week. Left-hander Foster Griffin starts for the Nationals. Rain is in the forecast, so first pitch could be delayed.
