Dodgers 15 early surprises: Kyle Tucker, bullpen, defense…
A few weeks in, the Dodgers’ season goes about as anticipated.
They entered Monday with the best report in the majors at 11-4. Their lineup is main the league in most statistical classes. Their mixture of celebrity expertise and productive depth seems unmatched round the sport.
That doesn’t imply, however, that there haven’t been surprises.
Los Angeles Dodgers middle fielder Andy Pages hits a 3 run residence run against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images Brad Mills-Imagn Images
The California Post seems at the 15 greatest ones from the team’s opening 15 games.
1) Andy Pages being MLB’s hottest hitter
Expectations for Pages have been high this yr. Manager Dave Roberts even made him his “pick to click” in spring training, coming off 27 homers in 2025. Still, nobody noticed this coming. Pages leads MLB with a .429 batting common and 17 RBIs. He has the best OPS in the National League at 1.181. He’s had more hits and walks than outs in three of the club’s 5 collection.
2) Kyle Tucker being the Dodgers’ worst hitter
Among common starters with at the least 50 plate appearances, he’s anyway. Though Tucker has been OK at getting on-base (9 walks, .343 OBP), the $240 million signing is batting just .246 with a .659 OPS and one residence run. Last week, he was 5-for-25 without an extra-base hit. It’s early, and Tucker has still had some good moments. But expectations have been a lot, a lot greater than this.
Kyle Tucker of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to his strikeout during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium on April 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Getty Images
3) … and having the highest Okay-rate of his profession
Another small-sample, however potentially-troubling, stat with Tucker: His early strikeout fee is sort of 24%, considerably up from the 15% fee he has averaged over his first 5 full MLB seasons. He is also swinging, chasing and whiffing far more than ordinary. Remember, the Dodgers signed Tucker primarily to enhance their contact and on-base skills. So far, that hasn’t occurred, making it simpler for groups to pitch round Shohei Ohtani with Tucker behind him in the two-hole.
4) Ohtani chasing historical past
OK, Ohtani pursuing historical past isn’t a shock. But his 46-game on-base streak courting again to last yr (the longest ever by a Japanese-born big-leaguer) has been a novel feat even in his profession. After all, Ohtani is called a relative free-swinger, vulnerable to loads of strikeouts and the occasional 0-fer. His earlier career-long on-base streak was 36 games with the Angels in 2022-2023. With the Dodgers, he’d never surpassed 29. But this yr, he has been strolling at a career-high fee, and displaying more endurance while opponents pitch round him. FWIW, the MLB report is Ted Williams’ 84-game streak in 1949.
5) The bullpen being this good
During spring training, reduction pitching regarded like the Dodgers’ one weak point. Instead, the bullpen has accounted for a 3.40 ERA (tenth in MLB), only one charged loss and two blown saves (tied for the second-fewest mixed complete in the majors), and the fifth-best batting common against in “high leverage” conditions, as tracked by Fangraphs. Not perfection, however a big enchancment from last yr nonetheless.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani at bat against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters Connect
6) … even with Edwin Díaz scuffling
Like Tucker, the Dodgers’ other big offseason signing hasn’t gotten off to a seamless start. Díaz transformed his first 4 saves as the new $69 million nearer, however then blew a three-run lead Friday that drew consideration to his diminished fastball velocity. Now, the team is “treading lightly” along with his usage while he tries to determine out what’s flawed.
7) Tanner Scott’s resurgence
Out of the nearer position and one yr faraway from the highlight of his $72 million signing, Scott has regarded more like the pitcher the Dodgers thought they have been getting all alongside. He has allowed just one run in his first eight outings. He has eight strikeouts and no walks. Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen (another bounce-back bullpen candidate this yr) have technically been better, with 0.00 ERAs thus far. But Scott’s steadiness has been a refreshing reversal from his nightmare 2025.
8) Roki Sasaki’s regression
Maybe this isn’t as a lot of a shock given Sasaki’s poor spring training (despite the Dodgers’ best efforts to downplay his camp struggles). But still, after his success in the bullpen at the end of last yr, his 6.23 ERA and 10 walks in 13 innings have been a disappointing development. So far, only 43% of his pitches have been in the strike zone, the Eleventh-lowest mark of 134 MLB starters with at the least 10 innings pitched thus far.
Tanner Scott of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) Getty Images
9) No big pitching accidents (yet)
Not to jinx something … however Dodgers pitchers have survived the first few weeks thus far, struggling no new accidents since Opening Day. They couldn’t say that last yr, when Blake Snell went down during the opening homestand and several other other key arms joined him by the end of April. Injury issues will linger, after all. But the fact that their workers –– and rotation, particularly, coming off last October’s workload –– has been this regular to this point is at the least a optimistic early signal about their ability to face up to the lengthy yr ahead.
10) A top-five defense
Even with the oldest lineup in the majors, the Dodgers have had a top-five defense to this point. They rank first in defensive runs saved, third in outs above common and fourth in fielding share. Even more stunning: 36-year-old Freddie Freeman and 35-year-old Max Muncy have been their most invaluable gloves, according to Baseball Savant’s defensive metrics.
11) Will Smith’s pitch framing
Last yr, Smith was the second-worst pitch framer in the majors, according to Baseball Savant. So far this yr, he’s been the fifth-best. Even with the introduction of ABS challenges, framing pitches stays an important skill. And now, it’s changing into one more manner the perennial All-Star has improved his game.
Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers rejoice after a 10-5 victory against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) Getty Images
11) Dalton Rushing having a better WAR than Smith
At the plate, Smith has been his typical self, batting .295 with an .842 OPS. This actually says more about the early enhancements Dalton Rushing has made, beginning 7-for-13 with three homers and a double while embracing his back-up position in a manner he struggled to last season. According to Baseball Reference, he has 0.6 WAR, in comparison with Smith’s 0.4. Rushing’s playing time will stay restricted, however his manufacturing has been important nonetheless.
12) Alex Call having a better WAR than Tucker
This is yet another signal of Tucker’s slow start, along with his 0.3 WAR in 15 games less than Call’s 0.4 WAR in just 5. Eventually, the expectation is that Tucker will get going. But for now, he’s been less invaluable than even the team’s fourth outfielder in Call –– who’s off to a pleasant 5-for-12 start to his yr in a reserve position.
13) Hyeseong Kim’s contributions
Turned out, Kim’s opening day demotion to triple-A didn’t last lengthy. He was called as much as change the injured Mookie Betts last week, and has shown renewed progress at the plate after a disappointing end to the spring. In six games, he’s batting over .300, has reduce manner down on his swing-and-miss, and is giving the Dodgers a doubtlessly troublesome roster resolution to make as soon as Betts returns (which shouldn’t be too lengthy).
Texas Rangers middle fielder Evan Carter is out at second as Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim throws to first for a double play in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters Connect
14) Freddie Freeman’s batting common
The shock right here is that it’s not better. While Freeman is only hitting .255, his contact metrics have been by the roof, leading to an anticipated batting common, per Baseball Savant, 57 factors greater than his precise one. If he retains hitting the ball laborious, and getting more of his many warning-track flyouts over the fence, he could possibly be primed to warmth up rapidly.
15) A scarcity of consideration
After dominating the offseason discourse with their latest winter spending spree, it’s virtually felt as if the Dodgers have flown under the league-wide radar thus far, with outcries over competitive imbalance and financial inequality dying down for now. This, after all, received’t last eternally –– not if the Dodgers maintain stacking wins, explore a possible splash at the commerce deadline, and stay the league’s top World Series contender come the fall. Fifteen games in, they’re on their manner there.
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