Dodgers Spring Training Highlights: Corey Seager Hits First Home Run, Kenley Jansen Dominates In 2018 Debut

The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered their worst defeat of the spring Thursday afternoon, as Rich Hill gave up six runs while recording just one out in the first inning, leading to a 14-8 loss at Camelback Ranch.

Despite disappointing effort by Hill, there were plenty of positives to take away from the game, particularly at the plate as the Dodgers put up eight runs on 12 hits, including three home runs. One came in the bottom of the first inning, as Yasmani Grandal launched an opposite-field two-run home run off Royals starter Jason Hammel.

The home run was Grandal’s fourth of the spring, which ties him with Matt Kemp for the team lead. Corey Seager then followed suit with a homer of his own in the third inning, taking Hammel deep to straightaway center off of the batter’s eye.

The home run was Seager’s first in Cactus League play, although he did go deep in a ‘B’ game earlier in the spring.

Despite Hill and some of the other Dodgers relievers struggling, there was one positive on the mound as closer Kenley Jansen pitched in his first Cactus League game of 2018 and tossed a 1-2-3 inning, striking out one.

.@kenleyjansen74 makes quick work of his #DodgersST debut & @coreyseager_5 hits his first homer of the year in today's spring training action. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/1Qdix2riMY

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 16, 2018

Jansen was slow-played to begin the spring and then was scratched from his first outing due to hamstring tightness. But he is still on pace to be ready for Opening Day as he is scheduled to throw in another Cactus League game on Saturday and then on back-to-back days in the exhibition Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Despite the game being out of reach, some of the young Dodgers prospects took some nice swings in the ninth inning, and that included Edwin Rios. He led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run launched into the Arizona sky that disappeared as it cleared the batter’s eye.