On March 27th, when the reigning world series champions entered Elysian Park, the crowd erupted in loud cheers, and the fireworks graced the sky to welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers. One by one, the champions walked on the blue carpet, waving at the home crowd as they were all set to clinch the opening day victory. But amidst the celebrations, a bombshell was waiting to be dropped for the LA fandom. And then, the news came in – one of the Dodgers’ key players got benched before the game.

Hours before the first pitch, the Los Angeles Dodgers dealt with a setback. It’s something the Dodgers have been through before, very recently. Does it ring any bells? Yeah, it’s exactly what Mookie Betts went through. He battled a brutal stomach bug just last week during the Tokyo Series, which made him lose around 18 pounds. He’s back in the roster now, But Kiké Hernández, the Dodgers’ $6.5 million utility star, was struggling with something similar.

On the Opening Day, Kiké Hernández, was out of the lineup as he was fighting a stomach illness. He was struggling to keep the food down and was vomiting, the exact symptoms that plagued Mookie Betts. Losing Hernández disrupts the Dodgers’ lineup flexibility.

According to Dave Roberts, Hernández, who is hailed for his versatility, was expected to be mic’d up for the game. Roberts had to reshuffle the lineup at the last minute. While the initial plan was to start him at second base against left-hander Tarik Skubal, now, Miguel Rojas was slotted in.

This news was absolutely shattering for the Dodgers, particularly as Mookie Betts also underwent the same symptoms. For now, Hernández is focusing on getting back to full strength. On the other hand, the Dodgers had no choice but to adjust. Losing Hernández’s versatility is equivalent to losing the Dodgers’ main asset. However, though the Dodgers faced a major setback, the reigning world series champions made sure to add the 2025 Opening Day victory to the Dodger Stadium’s hall of fame.

As Dodgers Open at Home, Golden Accents and a Familiar Goal: Defend Their Crown

Opening day at Dodgers Stadium was magical indeed. In every direction, reminders of the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series title were on full display. It’s a loud and clear message about the goal ahead of them. The usual home whites in the clubhouse had a championship glow, including everything in gold—the numbers, digits, and iconic gold-trimmed Dodgers.

On the mound for the ceremonial pitch was Kirk Gibson, whose game-winning homer in game 1 of the 1988 World Series is legendary material. Behind the plate was Freddie Freeman, who maintained last year’s Fall Classic opener. Mookie Betts, back in the lineup, emphasized that the Dodgers’ focus is to keep this celebration going next year as well. He stated, “Obviously, every Opening Day is special, but you just try to make it the same thing as always. It’s the beginning of a long grind.”

Interestingly, while the spectators’ roar was electric for a pre-game ceremony, the frenzied sellout crowd of 53,595 couldn’t hold their elation when after a 10-inning game, the defending World Series champion emerged victorious, securing a 5-4 win over the Tigers. It was indeed a game filled with exciting moments and missed opportunities. But at the end, Dodgers asserted out loud that this season too, they are eyeing to bring home another Commissioner’s trophy.

However, when the curiosities were raised about Hernández, Dave Roberts filled everybody in, saying, “He wasn’t feeling well. Let’s just hope it’s not what Mookie dealt with.” Hopefully, we will see Hernández back on the field.
For now, the Dodgers’ goal remains clear: another championship, another memorable season.