The Los Angeles Dodgers rediscovered their offense in a dominant 8-3 win against the Houston Astros Monday evening.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the ball for the first game of the series, and earned a win for his efforts behind LA’s offensive display. He pitched six innings, allowing three earned runs on give hits and one walk. He also logged eight strikeouts.

The Dodgers’ bats got started right out of the gate, and while they didn’t immediately find the power, they managed to string together three singles to drive in the first run of the game in the top of the first inning. Andy Pages stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded later in the inning, but couldn’t capitalize.

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Houston struck back quickly in the bottom of the inning, quickly putting two on the base paths. A bloop single from Jose Altuve scored Yordan Alvarez to level the score, and a wild pitch scored Isaac Paredes shortly after.

The Dodgers responded well after falling behind, with Alex Freeland leveling the score once again with a solo homer in the top of the second—his first since opening night. Will Smith added on later in the inning, bringing Shohei Ohtani around from first with a one-run double to restore LA’s lead.

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Kyle Tucker further extended the Dodgers’ advantage in the third, hitting a solo homer of his own, before a bases-loaded force out from Ohtani scored another. Freddie Freeman singled afterwards, scoring two with the help of an error.

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Freeman struck again for the Dodgers in the fifth inning, scoring Freeland from second with another RBI single.

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The Astros added onto their total in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer off the bat of Zach Cole, but failed to put any more runs on the board throughout the rest of the game. Blake Treinen, Kyle Hurt and Jack Dreyer combined for three scoreless innings in relief to put the game to bed.

Yamamoto bounced back well after his first-inning mishap, retiring 11 in order after allowing the second run of the game and tallying his third win of the year.

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The Dodgers will hope to keep the offense going in the second game of the series, during which Shohei Ohtani will make his seventh start of the season. That game begins Tuesday at 5:10 p.m. PT.

How did you feel about the Dodgers’ performance today?

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke about utility man Kiké Hernández, shortstop Mookie Betts and second baseman Tommy Edman’s schedules as they recover from injuries.

Both Edman and Hernandez are yet to play in a game for the Dodgers this season as they recover from surgeries they underwent in the offseason. Betts played just eight games for the Dodgers in 2026 before landing on the injured list with an oblique issue.

Per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, Roberts said Hernandez could start his rehab as soon as Tuesday. Hernandez had surgery on his elbow in the offseason, keeping him out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic and on the injured list to start the season.

Edman still doesn’t have a timeline for return, with Roberts reportedly saying he’s on a “slow program” as he recovers from surgery on his ankle in November. Edman landed on the injured list twice due to ankle issues in 2025.

Betts has been swinging the bat recently, and will face live pitching Thursday. While Roberts didn’t give an exact timeline, he said Betts could begin his rehab assignment “soon.”

How Have the Dodgers Fared Without Their Injured Position Players?

The Dodgers got off to a good start to the season without Hernandez, Betts and Edman, but things have slowed down in recent games.

The Dodgers’ high-powered offense has screeched to a halt over the last two series, and they haven’t hit a home run in the last six games after leading MLB in that regard just a week ago.

Who Has Replaced Each Player This Season?

Hernandez has taken a supplementary role over the last few seasons, and will likely fill in at third base or in a corner outfield spot when he returns.

Max Muncy has played well at third base this season, as has Teoscar Hernandez in left, so the Dodgers won’t have to rush the fan favorite back for immediate results.

As for Betts and Edman, the Dodgers have shuffled around their arrangement in the middle infield several times without the presence of two of their big names. The Dodgers called up Hyeseong Kim to replace Mookie Betts when he went down with injury, and Kim has split time at short with Miguel Rojas for the last month. At second base, Alex Freeland has received a majority of the reps with Santiago Espinal or Kim plugging in on occasion.

Dodgers second basemen this year are batting below league average and currently rank 18th in MLB in wRC+.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ situation at shortstop hasn’t been terrible since Betts’ departure. Dodgers shortstops have a 116 wRC+ since Betts went down, ranking fourth in MLB during that stretch.

That being said, the Dodgers will still hope to have all of their injured stars make a return soon as they chase their third consecutive World Series championship.

Which injured Dodgers position player do you want to return first?

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced their lineup for the first game of the last leg of their road trip against the Houston Astros.

The Dodgers have lost both of their last two series to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals, and will hope they can break out of their offensive slump against one of LA’s most-hated teams. The Dodgers haven’t hit a home run in either of their last two series after leading MLB in the statistic beforehand, and will rely on their power-heavy lineup to come through in a slightly hitter-friendly park.

Who Will Play for the Dodgers Monday?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start on the mound for the Dodgers, and is looking to keep his solid start to the season going against the Astros.

He has made six starts this season, pitching 37.2 innings and striking out 32 batters. He has a 2.87 ERA so far this season, and has managed to make it through the sixth inning in five of his six starts so far.

Shohei Ohtani, as usual, will bat leadoff and fill the designated hitter role, and first baseman Freddie Freeman will bat behind him. Catcher Will Smith will bat third, followed by left fielder Teoscar Hernandez in the cleanup spot. Right fielder Kyle Tucker rounds out the heart of the order, and third baseman Max Muncy will bat sixth behind him.

Center fielder Andy Pages bats seventh, and middle infielders Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland will look to turn over the lineup.

Dodgers Lineup vs. the Astros

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Freddie Freeman, 1B
3. Will Smith, C
4. Teoscar Hernandez, LF
5. Kyle Tucker, RF
6. Max Muncy, 3B
7. Andy Pages, CF
8. Hyeseong Kim, SS
9. Alex Freeland, 2B
P. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP

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Who Is Starting for the Astros?

The Astros are beginning the series with an opener, as relief arm Steven Okert will take the ball for the first inning.

Okert has made 17 appearances for the Astros already this season, posting a 4.20 ERA through 15 innings pitched. Right-hander Ryan Weiss is expected to follow him in long relief.

Weiss, a rookie, has struggled so far this season, posting a 6.65 ERA through eight appearances—two of which have been starts. He has pitched 21.2 innings, allowing 16 earned runs as well as six home runs. He has managed 25 strikeouts in that time, though, so the Dodgers will have to stay on their toes.

The Dodgers still have a lead at the top of the NL West despite their recent skid, and will hope to maintain first place throughout their series against an underperforming Astros side. The first game of the series begins at 5:10 p.m. PT.

How do you feel heading into this series?