The Dodgers’ historic start to the 2025 season came to a screeching halt on Friday night. They fell 3-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies, which dropped their record to 8-1. That left them just shy of matching the Brooklyn Dodgers’ franchise-best 10-0 start from 1955. While they’re still one of the best teams in baseball, sloppy baserunning mistakes cost them that first loss of the year—and dearly.
Baserunning Blunders Leave Dodgers Reeling
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t mince words after the game when discussing his team’s base-running woes.
“When you give a good team free outs and shorten the game, it’s almost impossible to win,” Roberts said. “You can’t beat a good team like that, not when you’re giving them those outs.”
That eighth-inning steal attempt by Shohei Ohtani stood out. With two outs and Mookie Betts at the plate, he tried to swipe second base. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto gunned him down at second, ending that threat.
Ohtani had a 93.7% success rate on stolen bases last season. You’d think he’d be given the green light in that situation. But he failed to make it count when it mattered most.
“You’ve got to be safe when you’ve got Shohei in that spot,” Roberts said. “Realmuto is one of the best throwers in the game. When you’re down three with Mookie up, you’ve got to be certain you’re safe before you go.”
The miscues didn’t stop there. In the ninth inning, pinch-runner Chris Taylor got caught at second base on a strike-him-out-throw-him-out double play. That sealed the Dodgers’ fate. Earlier, Andy Pages got picked off to end the sixth inning. That was just another layer of embarrassment for the team that night.
Phillies Shine Behind Luzardo and Realmuto
Philadelphia starter Jesus Luzardo threw six strong innings. He struck out eight and gave up just one run—unearned. That one run came back to haunt him in the seventh inning when he loaded the bases with two outs. But Luzardo closed the deal, getting Kiké Hernández to swing and miss at a slider. The sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park went wild.
J.T. Realmuto was the defensive anchor the Phillies needed. He threw out three runners over two games for the fifth time in his career. That cannon of an arm behind the plate was just too much for the Dodgers to handle.
Realmuto said the play that really surprised him was when the Dodgers tried to steal third with Mookie Betts on base. “That one surprised me a little because Mookie was hitting,” he said. “But when Chris Taylor ran, I figured he’d try to take the chance. That’s just what Chris does—he’s a great base stealer.”
Dodgers Rally Falls Short
Despite trailing 3-0, the Dodgers showed why they’re champions by mounting a late comeback. Tommy Edman crushed a two-run homer in the ninth inning, cutting the deficit to 3-2 and giving Los Angeles hope. However, relief pitcher Jordan Romano escaped further damage by inducing the double play that ended the game.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto turned in another solid start for the Dodgers, striking out five batters and allowing just one unearned run over six innings. The unearned run came after Yamamoto made an errant throw attempting to pick off Trea Turner at third base. Turner capitalized on the mistake, scoring the game’s first run.
This marked the fourth time in Yamamoto’s career that he pitched at least six innings without surrendering an earned run, and his first such outing since June 2024 against the Yankees.
A Lesson Learned for the Champs
While the Dodgers remain one of the top teams in MLB, Friday’s loss served as a reminder that even World Series champions aren’t immune to self-inflicted wounds.
“We hate losing, but I think it does speak to how we play,” Roberts said. “Giving those guys three extra outs on the bases—it’s hard to win when you’re playing eight innings on the offensive side. That’s something we have to clean up.”
For now, the Dodgers will regroup and look to bounce back as they aim to defend their title. But Friday’s game underscored the importance of fundamentals, especially against elite opponents like the Phillies.