Bold opening: Even the best spring stretches can crack, and Friday proved it as the Dodgers’ early win streak came to a surprising halt with a 12-4 loss to the Giants. If you’ve been tracking spring results, you know momentum can shift in a heartbeat, and this game was a clear example.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched his final tune-up before joining Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic. He surrendered two runs, including a leadoff homer to Willy Adames, but still logged three innings on 52 pitches (37 strikes), recording four strikeouts and issuing no walks. His performance offered a mix of competitiveness and a reminder that spring outings are about fine-tuning, not just the numbers.
After Yamamoto departed, the Dodgers’ bullpen couldn’t keep the game within reach. Ryder Ryan allowed the Giants to seize the lead in the fourth inning, and Luke Fox and Christian Romero each gave up four earned runs. Romero’s inning featured a grand slam by Victor Bericotto, which effectively sealed the outcome and underscored how one mistake can widen a deficit quickly.
Two relievers connected to last summer’s Hunter Feduccia trade — Paul Gervase and Adam Serwinowski — contributed scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth, respectively, each punching out two hitters to end their outings on a positive note.
On offense, Zach Ehrhard stood out for the Dodgers with two doubles, providing the team’s brightest spark. James Tibbs III opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the second, and Santiago Espinal added an RBI single in the third. The Dodgers also got a two-run homer from Chris Newell off lefty Nick Zwack in the ninth, which was the club’s lone long ball of the game.
Spring stats still look favorable for Los Angeles. The Dodgers are averaging 7.86 runs per game this spring and sit second in Cactus League scoring with 53 total runs, even on a night when offense lagged.
UP NEXT
Saturday brings a split-squad slate for the Dodgers: road action against the Texas Rangers and a home game versus the Chicago Cubs, both at 12:05 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA). At Surprise Stadium, Jackson Ferris will face Jack Leiter, while Justin Wrobleski goes up against Colin Rea at Camelback Ranch. This setup gives fans a chance to see a steady rotation of arms and batters in a familiar spring rhythm, with plenty of opportunities to refine approach ahead of the regular season.
What do you think: does this result change your outlook on the Dodgers’ spring trajectory, or are you focusing more on individual performances and overall team trends? Share your take in the comments.
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