TL;DR - Scouting Report
Mookie & Freddie Back Just in Time: Dodgers stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman return to the lineup ahead of Opening Day in the 2025 Freeway Series against the Angels. Here's what it means for LA.
Start the Rally: Tweet This Now!The Dodgers’ starting lineup just got its heartbeat back.
After missing the Tokyo Series and Opening Day respectively, Dodgers star Freddie Freeman is officially back in the lineup for Sunday’s Freeway Series opener against the Angels. Betts, who missed the Tokyo Series due to illness, was also slated to return to the Dodgers ahead of Opening Day, but is now in jeopardy to return for Thursday’s home opener.
Freeman, who sat out the Tokyo Series with rib discomfort, is returning at the perfect time, though – just days before the Dodgers’ domestic season opener.
📅 Event Preview
Matchup: Dodgers vs. Angels
Date: Sunday, March 23, 2025
Time: 5:10 PM PT
Location: Dodger Stadium
Broadcast: SportsNet LA
Mookie Betts Was to Start at Shortstop in Dodgers vs. Angels Lineup
Update: Betts was scratched before first pitch in Sunday’s exhibition game against the Angels. He was replaced by Miguel Rojas.
Betts will officially start at shortstop — the position that was meant to be his in 2024 before a string of injuries shuffled the deck. This year, the Dodgers are going all in on Mookie in the infield, and it’s not just a placeholder move — it’s a commitment.
At 32, Betts isn’t just learning a new role. He’s rewriting how elite defenders transition late in their careers. And the hype? It’s real. Just last month, former All-Star and Gold Glove shortstop Troy Tulowitzki gave Mookie his blessing:
“I wouldn’t say this for anybody else… But I can truly tell you, I think he can be an elite defender at the position.”
That’s not casual praise. That’s a defensive savant recognizing another in the making.
Freddie Freeman Returns to Dodgers Lineup After Injury
As for Freeman, the 35-year-old reigning World Series MVP is ready to anchor the lineup once again. While he got swings in during the exhibition games in Tokyo, this marks his official return stateside — and perhaps the final piece in the puzzle as the defending champs lock into gear.
His presence in the middle of the order doesn’t just provide balance — it brings calm. With Freeman on the field, the Dodgers don’t just feel deeper. They feel inevitable.
What Betts and Freeman’s Return Means for Dodgers’ Season Opener
Sunday’s Freeway Series isn’t just a spring tune-up. It’s a preview of what’s possible when the Dodgers are whole. With Betts at short, Freeman at first, and Shohei Ohtani already buzzing through batting practice, the star power is overwhelming.
Now, the question becomes: How dangerous can this lineup be at full strength — and how soon will it click?
Dodgers Lineup vs. Angels (Sunday, March 23, 2025 – Freeway Series Game 1)
- Shohei Ohtani – DH
- Mookie Betts – SS
- Freddie Freeman – 1B
- Teoscar Hernandez – RF
- Max Muncy – 3B
- Will Smith – C
- Michael Conforto – LF
- Tommy Edman – 2B
- Andy Pages – CF
SP: LHP Jackson Ferris
Ohtani will DH and lead off for the Dodgers against Angels starter Jose Soriano. He will be backed up by SS Betts and 1B Freeman just as one will expect in the regular season.
Teoscar Hernandez is the cleanup hitter and playing in right field; he’s followed by 3B Max Muncy, C Will Smith, LF Michael Conforto, 2B Tommy Edman and CF Andy Pages.
Left-handed prosect Jackson Ferris is on the mound tonight at Dodger Stadium for the 5:10 p.m. opening pitch to be seen on SportsNet LA.
Your Turn:
Which return are you more excited about:
🔹 Mookie rewriting history at shortstop
🔹 Or Freddie picking up where he left off as a Dodgers hero?
Drop your thoughts below. The dynasty might just be getting started… again.
