Domestic Opening Day Game Preview: Shohei Ohtani & Tyler Glasnow Make Dodgers Home Debut Vs. Cardinals

The Los Angeles Dodgers continue the 2024 season with their Dodger Stadium opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, which follows their Opening Day overseas in South Korea and a brief return to exhibition play.

Tyler Glasnow is making his second start for the Dodgers in their first three games, a result of the unusual schedule the club had to open the year.

Glasnow battled through some control issues against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, but still managed to only give up two earned runs over five innings, giving the Dodgers the chance to steal a 5-2 comeback victory.

It is his second start in an Opening Day atmosphere, but this time he gets to walk the same path of a pitcher he grew up watching in Clayton Kershaw, taking the mound for the Dodgers in their home opener.

Will Smith bats fourth for the Dodgers one day after signing his 10-year, $140 million extension, and he’s joined by the expected core of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernández.

Ohtani is making his Dodger Stadium home debut despite the distraction of an ongoing MLB investigation into his potential involvement in Ippei Mizuhara’s illegal gambling and potential theft.

Nevertheless, the 2024 MLB season for the Dodgers is here to stay for good this time as they resume their hunt for their eighth World Series title and second since the 2020 season.

They are once again led by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who is in his ninth season at the helm after leading the Dodgers to another 100-win season.

With the Dodgers, he has posted a 754-443 record (.630), which is the highest winning percentage by a manager in MLB history with a minimum of 1,000 games managed.

In his eight full seasons as Dodger Manager, he has recorded five 100-win seasons, joining Bobby Cox (6), Joe McCarthy (6), Connie Mack (5) and Earl Weaver (5) as the only managers to accomplish the feat.

For the Cardinals, it is their one and only Opening Day and have given Miles Mikolas the task of ushering them into 2024.

The Cardinals are coming off of a disappointing season in 2023, finishing dead last in the National League Central with a 71-91 record under manager Oliver Marmol. The skipper is in his third season at the helm with the Cardinals and enters Thursday with a 164-160 record.

Mikolas had one of his worst seasons as a professional in 2023, pitching to the tune of a 4.78 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and the lowest strikeout totals he’s had in a full season.

However, he was still very effective as an innings eater, which is very valuable in its own right. He reached at least 200 innings for a second consecutive year and third time in his career.

The Cardinals still have a good amount of star power in their lineup and some exciting young talent. Veteran superstars Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt lead the way, while highly touted youngsters Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, and Masyn Winn follow suit.

Dodgers lineup

SS: Mookie Betts
DH: Shohei Ohtani
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
LF: Teoscar Hernández
CF: James Outman
RF: Jason Heyward
2B: Gavin Lux

Cardinals lineup

LF: Brendan Donovan
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
2B: Nolan Gorman
3B: Nolan Arenado
C: Willson Contreras
DH: Alec Burleson
RF: Jordan Walker
CF: Victor Scott II
SS: Masyn Winn