Early Confidence, Aggressive Play Highlight Shutout of Mariners

Baseball’s conventional wisdom says pitchers usually have the edge when spring training begins. No doubt, the Seattle Mariners could point to that after being blanked by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch.

But through three games, that theory hasn’t applied to the Dodgers in Glendale.

The Dodgers collected 10 hits in a 3–0 win and have now outscored opponents 25–7 to open Cactus League play. Yes, it’s February and October is still months away. Still, for a club chasing a third straight championship, early confidence and rhythm matter.

Here are a few takeaways from today’s performance:

Andy Pages continues to lock in early Pages went 2-for-3 with another double, showing the kind of consistency that has the organization excited about his development and long-term role.

Santiago Espinal making his case In the ongoing competition for infield spots, Espinal turned in a strong day at the plate, going 2-for-3 while scoring twice. Versatility and contact are always valuable in this lineup.

Alex Freeland capitalizes on opportunity Freeland made the most of his lone at-bat, driving a double into the gap and collecting two RBIs. In spring training, moments like that can carry real weight.

The little things still matter to Dave Roberts One of the most notable plays didn’t show up in the box score. In the eighth inning, aggressive and heads-up baserunning by Noah Miller stretched a routine single into a double. That kind of awareness has always been a hallmark of manager Dave Roberts, and it’s safe to assume the effort did not go unnoticed.

A welcome sight on the mound The feel-good moment of the afternoon came when Alex Vesia returned to the mound. Seeing him back in action this early in camp is an encouraging sign for the Dodgers’ bullpen depth.

It’s still early. But for a team with championship expectations, the foundation is already taking shape.