The Los Angeles Dodgers only played seven innings against the Texas Rangers due to rain, but the offense still showed some life in the poor conditions at Surprise Stadium.
Before the game, Mookie Betts and Chris Taylor met in center field with Corey Seager, the 2020 World Series MVP who signed with the Rangers last offseason after spending his entire career with the Dodgers up until that point.
Betts and Jason Heyward each hit their first home run of Spring Training, which both came against former Dodgers starter Andrew Heaney. Each was a solo shot that gave the Dodgers the lead, with Betts leading off the game with his long ball Heyward’s coming in the second inning.
Dustin May made his first Cactus League start of 2023 and allowed a run early following a single to Seager and triple to Adolis García. However, May settled down and ended up pitching 1.2 innings with just the one run allowed.
Some 2020 World Series champions meeting in center field before the #Dodgers play the Rangers. pic.twitter.com/9V54D6mPPJ
— Blake (@ByBlakeWilliams) March 1, 2023
Third pitch of the game? Mookie crushed that. pic.twitter.com/NFrHMw8GcL
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 1, 2023
Nobody did some Dustin May clips from today, so here you go. He looked great to me, despite the run. pic.twitter.com/dxdYG3b5eK
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 1, 2023
Watch it fly, Jason. pic.twitter.com/OATYL95P7V
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 1, 2023
James Outman's lined single for a run. pic.twitter.com/2cg21PqNaS
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 1, 2023
Second baseman Miguel Vargas.pic.twitter.com/BDyu4v20l2
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) March 1, 2023
Gavin Stone, Wicked Changeups. 👌 pic.twitter.com/VgKbeOv6dS
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 1, 2023
Already leading 2-1, the Dodgers added another two runs on James Outman’s two-out RBI single in the third inning, and his sacrifice fly in the fifth. The productive performance came hours after Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Outman is still under consideration for a starting job in center field.
A pair of Dodgers prospects also flashed some upside in Gavin Stone and Miguel Vargas. Stone worked a scoreless inning and struck out one despite the rainy conditions he pitched through and Vargas made two great defensive plays in the game, which comes as he’s learning to adjust to second base full time.
“He’s been working really hard on the defense,” Roberts said about Vargas after the game. “It’s easy to bet on a guy that puts forth the work. Really nice play.”
The Rangers added one more run in the seventh inning on a Blaine Crim homer against Tyler Cyr, but the game was called after the inning, giving the Dodgers a 4-2 victory.
Dodgers Spring Training notes
With Gavin Lux expected to miss the entire 2023 season due to an ACL tear in his right knee, the Dodgers are going to rely on Miguel Rojas as their starting shortstop.
Rojas was originally penciled in as the utility man and a primary backup at all four infield positions and left field. However, Roberts now expects Rojas to make 75-80% of starts at shortstop, which creates a domino effect.
Chris Taylor was expected to be a big part of the center field mix and play there quite often, but now he is going to work as the backup shortstop, making 20-25% of the starts there and also filling in at third base. Taylor will no longer be relied upon as much in center field or second base.
Without Taylor in the outfield as often, Roberts said the Dodgers are considering a mix of Heyward, Outman and Trayce Thompson as their primary center fielders.
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