As the NCAA basketball tournaments bring stories of Goliath overwhelming David, the baseball season launches with its own narrative of powerhouse triumphs. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, last season’s pennant winners, have kicked off the new season undefeated with an 8-0 record combined.
The Dodgers extended their winning streak with a three-game sweep against Detroit, following their initial two-victory showcase over the Chicago Cubs in Japan. Meanwhile, the Yankees made an explosive start by overpowering Milwaukee, scoring a remarkable 36 runs and hitting 15 home runs against last year’s NL Central champions.
For the Yankees, this strong start brings reassurance following the offseason loss of Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole’s unfortunate arm injury, which sidelined him for the season. The Yankees’ impressive offensive power has drawn attention to their torpedo-shaped bats, becoming a talking point of the season.
Leading the Yankees’ offensive charge are Aaron Judge, who has already secured four home runs, Jazz Chisholm with three, and both Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe with two each.
The Dodgers are putting on a show as well, despite a team batting average of just .224, they have powered through with 12 home runs in the past four matchups.
The buzz around the Dodgers is reflected in BetMGM’s offer of 5-1 odds on the team to break the major league record by securing at least 117 regular season victories.
Challenging the Dodgers for the National League’s top spot are Atlanta and San Diego. The Padres bested the Braves in a four-game series sweep, with Atlanta struggling to connect, hitting 1 for 22 with runners in scoring position.
Fernando Tatis Jr. shined for the Padres, tallying up a 7 for 15 performance, adding a home run and three stolen bases to his series stats.
In other news, the return of key players has provided a boost to their respective teams. Mike Trout stepped back onto the field for the Los Angeles Angels, marking his return from a knee injury that cut his 2024 season short. Similarly, Orioles closer Félix Bautista returned, pitching a scoreless inning after a hiatus due to Tommy John Surgery.
Miami’s star pitcher Sandy Alcántara also staged a comeback, pitching 4 2/3 innings in a 5-4 triumph over Pittsburgh following his recovery from the same surgery.
Jacob deGrom, who made his comeback late last season, delivered five scoreless innings for Texas in a narrow 3-2 victory against Boston. This marks deGrom’s 10th start since 2023 after dealing with ongoing health issues.
In a standout performance of the week, Aaron Judge smashed three home runs, including a grand slam, accumulating eight RBIs in the Yankees’ 20-9 win over the Brewers. Despite five fielding errors, the Yankees’ power on the baseball diamond overshadowed the miscues, narrowly missing the MLB record for home runs in a single game.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks staged a dramatic comeback, overcoming a four-run deficit to secure a 10-6 victory against the Cubs. Their win, which seemed unlikely with a mere 3.3% win probability in the eighth inning, was bolstered by pitcher Ryne Nelson’s crucial RBI single, stepping in as a batter when position adjustments left the Diamondbacks without a designated hitter.