The Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 10-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on Wednesday in spring training action. Seby Zavala paced the offense, going 1-for-1 with a home run and four RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. Roki Sasaki worked 3.1 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits. The Dodgers finished with 11 hits on the day while holding the Royals to 9. The Dodgers will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Seby Zavala was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a home run and four RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Dodgers will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Dalton Rushing also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, Jack Suwinski chipped in, going 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, and Andy Pages added to the attack, going 1-for-4 with two RBI. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Luca Tresh led the Royals offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI day. Kevin Newman also contributed, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Starling Marte added a 2-for-2 with a double effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Dodgers pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Roki Sasaki got the start, battling through his outing, working 3.1 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits with five strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.2 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out nine. The Dodgers continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Nick Robertson stood out with 0.2 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
The Dodgers struck first, pushing across two runs in the second inning. The Dodgers plated a run in the third. Royals answered with two runs in the fourth. Royals tacked on a run in the fifth. Royals pushed across a run in the seventh. The Dodgers struck back with a run in the eighth. The Dodgers added six runs in the ninth. The Dodgers spread their scoring across four different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Dodgers out-hit Royals 11-9 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 10,996 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Dodgers will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.