In fact, it is only the first game of the 2020 Arizona Cactus League season, and the Dodgers were playing the San Francisco Giants, who will be ‘competing’ for the worst win-loss record in the National League regular season in 2020. Nonetheless, there were some really encouraging signs for the Dodgers.:

• Max Muncy looked like he is ready for the 2020 regular season to start, going 2 for 2, including a home run that would have landed in McCovey Cove if the game had been played at the Giants Oracle Park.
• Chris Taylor played flawlessly at shortstop and hit a long home run to the right-field bleachers. Hitting to the opposite field is a very good sign for Taylor.
• Kiké Hernandez hit a monster home-run, well beyond the centerfield fence against a right-handed pitcher. Kiké has the power to hit home runs to any part of any ballpark; once he abandons his pull-everything mentality and consistently uses the whole field when hitting, and could very well make a lot of money playing this game as a regular.
• Minor leaguers Omar Estevez, Rocky Gale, Cristian Santana, Zach Reks and Luke Raley with base hits.
• Pitchers Tony Gonsolin, Dennis Santana, Marshall Kasowski, and Reymin Guduan were efficient, and journeyman minor leaguer Joe Broussard was overpowering facing Giants minor leaguers.

Room for improvement:

• Tough start to spring training for A.J. Pollock with two strikeouts and a ground out.
• A total of 15 strikeouts by the Dodgers with only four walks.
• Matt Beaty and Edwin Rios played to a draw in their first competition for a 2020 bench spot. Both were hitless with a strikeout but played well defensively at third (Beaty) and first (Rios). Unless there is an injury or trade, one of these two will open the 2020 season at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

We often hear that spring training games are “meaningless games”. Not so for those players who are competing for very few spots on a roster that is literally loaded with veteran and star players. Every thrown pitch, every at-bat, and every defensive play is important. Do not tell Messrs Gonsolin, Santana, Guduan, Beaty, and Rios that these games are without meaning; their careers are in play every day.

Next up: The Dodgers play the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch in Game-2 of the 2020 Cactus League. Mookie Betts, Joc Pederson, and Corey Seager are all expected to make their Spring Training 2020 debuts in the (sold out) Sunday afternoon contest.

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