Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

Gavin Stone returned to the mound after 542 days in an 11-to-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon at Camelback Ranch.

At some point this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers hope Stone will have a significant role in their starting rotation. In 2024, he made 25 starts, including a complete-game shutout. In September 2024, he underwent right shoulder reconstruction and missed the entire 2025 season.

Although the Dodgers have Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani headlining their rotation, they have room for at least two starters. Snell, dealing with a lingering left shoulder issue, may miss making the Opening Day roster.

On Tuesday, Stone looked unbelievably sharp while striking out two of the three batters he faced. He used his signature changeup seven times. Since the changeup is a feel pitch, most major league pitchers need much of spring training to find the feel for it but not Stone. During his rehabilitation, he could throw his changeup without pain. Stone’s changeup had a sharp vertical drop visible on TV.

Freddie Freeman made his Cactus League debut and had a two-run double. Coming off a healthy offseason for the first time since the 2022-2023 break, he hopes to play 162 games. His surgically repaired ankle needed to be taped until August 2025. He also wants a .300 batting average. Last year, he had a .295 batting average, a disappointment for Freeman. He already showed better range at first base.