Dodgers Postgame: First Game of 2024 Ends In Blowout Victory Over San Diego Padres

It was fair to call Dodger fans spoiled after seeing the team commit more than $1.2 billion to free agents in an offseason when most major league teams failed to go big. It’s still a fair criticism Thursday.

Now the Dodgers are going big on the field.

The Dodgers routed the San Diego Padres 14-1 in their Cactus League opener at the Peoria Sports Complex. The Dodgers scored eight runs in the first inning. They knocked out Padres starter Joe Musgrove, who faced six batters and did not record an out. They batted around before San Diego batted once, forcing Fernando Tatis Jr. to conduct the longest, most awkward in-game interview ever with ESPN.

Want some Dodgers highlights? Take your pick:

Twelve different players each collected one hit, so singling any of them out should be taken in context.

Here are two:

1. Gavin Lux missed all of last season after sustaining a gruesome knee injury here in Peoria one year ago. Thursday was his first game back, and he collected a single.

2. So did Andy Pages, the outfield prospect who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. Their returns to the field were nothing less than a triumph.

The Dodgers and Padres will meet again at 12:08 p.m. PT Friday at Camelback Ranch-Glendale — the Dodgers’ first Cactus League home game of 2024.

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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