The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting ready to begin their season on Wednesday.
They have been given the unique honor of beginning their season in South Korea.
As part of the 2024 MLB World Tour, the Dodgers will take on the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
But that means the Dodgers and Padres begin their regular season a week before the rest of the league.
Still, this should be a competitive two-game series and it will be our first look at two playoff contenders.
The Dodgers are the World Series favorites and have the best roster in baseball.
Spending over $1 billion in free agency certainly calls for that.
One player who is flying under the radar is starting pitcher Gavin Stone.
Stone was recently named the fifth starter in the Dodgers’ rotation to begin the year.
According to MLB Pipeline, he put on a clinic in his exhibition start against a Korean team.
Hot off earning the fifth starter spot this spring, No. 6 @Dodgers prospect Gavin Stone was lights-out in Korea:
3 1/3 innings
0 H
0 R
1 BB
8 K pic.twitter.com/JNZSDhPwBt— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 18, 2024
Of the 10 outs Stone recorded, eight of them were by strikeout.
That level of dominance is hard to find in the big leagues.
All eyes will be on the Dodgers this year.
Anything short of a World Championship will be a major disappointment.
That should be expected when you sign two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani.
He joins a lineup with two former MVPs, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
The last time we saw the Dodgers win the World Series in a full season was 1988.
But, they did bring home the title in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
The only way the Dodgers will put all the doubters to bed is if they win it all after a full 162.
This season may be their best chance to do that.
NEXT: Dodgers Manager Confirms Team's No. 5 Starter