Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 4 Tucker Delivers Late, Freeland Answers Early Doubts & Edwin Diaz Debuts

If there were questions about Alex Freeland making the Opening Day roster over Hyeseong Kim, he handled them the efficient way: by doing everything.

Freeland not only went to work at the plate, but also cut down runners at both home and third as a cutoff man—because apparently, one statement wasn’t enough.

After the pageantry of a second straight ring night, the Dodgers followed it up with something a little less glamorous but equally useful: a 5–4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Early Action: Sheehan Sharp, Then Tested

Emmet Sheehan opened his season in style, striking out the side in the first inning. The highlight? A successful ABS challenge from Will Smith—the Dodgers’ first, because even the robots need a proper introduction.

Things got more complicated in the second. Arizona put two aboard, and while Sheehan limited the damage, Alek Thomas doubled in a run. It could’ve been worse, but a sharp relay from Kyle Tucker to Freeland erased another at the plate.

Arizona added on in the third when Ketel Marte turned a 3-0 fastball into a reminder not to do that again, making it 2–0.

The Swing: Betts Flips It

Arizona starter Ryne Nelson nearly cruised through the lineup the first time around—until Freeland interrupted with a solo homer.

From there, the lineup did what it tends to do. Shohei Ohtani and Tucker worked walks, and Mookie Betts handled the rest: a three-run shot to right-center that turned a deficit into a 4–2 lead in a hurry.

Back-and-Forth, Then Bullpen Locks In

Sheehan’s night ended in the fourth after 3⅓ innings (83 pitches), and Arizona quickly tied it against the bullpen—again via Thomas, who doubled in two but ran himself into an out at third. Small victories.

More concerning: Sheehan’s velocity dipped as the outing went on—noticeably trending down pitch-to-pitch. Early season or not, that’s something to watch.

He exited after 3⅓ innings.

From there, the Dodgers’ bullpen settled things down. Tanner Scott escaped a sixth-inning jam, and clean innings from Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henríquez kept the game tied long enough for the offense to remember it was allowed to hit again.

The Decider: Tucker Comes Through

After 14 consecutive hitless at-bats (a choice, apparently), Freeland jumpstarted the eighth with a double. Ohtani moved him over, and Tucker did the simple thing: lined a go-ahead single into right.

No drama. Just timing.

Closing It Out

That handed the ball to Edwin Díaz, making his Dodgers debut to the trumpet sounds of Narco—which is either intimidating or deeply on-the-nose, depending on your perspective.

He allowed a baserunner, struck out two, and secured his first save in Dodger blue.

Final Thought

Dodgers are 2–0, and the early overreactions are already aging poorly.

Freeland, meanwhile, seems settled in just fine.