The bats in Los Angeles were sleeping. We all saw it. The top of the lineup was hitting a collective .161, and folks were starting to sweat a little bit in the opening week. But if you know anything about baseball, you know that a sleeping giant eventually wakes up, and usually, it wakes up cranky.
On Friday afternoon, the giant didn’t just wake up; it completely dismantled the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers rolled into the capital and put up a 13-6 victory that felt more like a home run derby than a regular-season game.
Dodgers Offense Wakes Up In a Big Way
If you were a pitcher for the Nationals on Friday, April 3, 2026, you probably want to burn the game tape. The Dodgers exploded for a season-high five home runs. The 1-4 hitters, who had been struggling to find the grass earlier in the week, went an absurd 8-for-21 with 10 RBI.
Things actually looked grim for Los Angeles early on. Starting Pitcher Emmet Sheehan came out throwing a fastball that was noticeably lacking its usual zip, sitting around 93.8 mph. CJ Abrams immediately made him pay with a three-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning. But Sheehan gritted his teeth, settled down, and gave his team 5.2 innings of work, allowing just four runs. He gave the offense a chance to answer back, and boy, did they ever.
Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker Join the Party
The real story of the afternoon was the superstars finally flashing their power. Down 3-0 in the third inning, Shohei Ohtani stepped into the box and absolutely obliterated a 401-foot, game-tying three-run homer to right field. It was his first long ball of the year, erasing any lingering anxiety about his early-season slump. Naturally, Mookie Betts decided that looked fun, immediately following up with a two-run shot of his own to take the lead for good.
Not to be outdone, Kyle Tucker decided it was time to introduce himself to the fans in blue. Tucker launched his first home run as a member of the Dodgers in the seventh inning, capping off a stellar 3-for-6 day at the plate. Add in a two-run blast from Andy Pages—who is casually batting a ridiculous .480 right now—and another two-run shot from Freddie Freeman, and the box score looked like a video game on rookie mode.
A Forgettable Afternoon For Miles Mikolas
We have to pour one out for veteran Nationals Starter Miles Mikolas. The man took the mound hoping to cool down the visitors, but instead, he ended up on the wrong side of MLB history. Mikolas was shelled for 11 earned runs on 11 hits in just 4.1 innings. It was a brutal outing, giving him a career 7.80 ERA against Los Angeles. Sometimes you have the magic, and sometimes the magic has you.
What Is Next For the Dodgers?
With the win, the Dodgers move to 5-2 on the young season, reminding everyone exactly why they are the heavy favorites to take home the World Series hardware. Tyler Glasnow is set to take the mound on Saturday afternoon, and if the bats stay this hot, the Nationals’ bullpen is going to need a lot of ice packs.
