Honestly, checking a Dodgers game box score feels like a part-time job lately. You’d think after winning the 2025 World Series in that wild 11-inning Game 7 against the Blue Jays, this team would take a breather. Nope. They just went out and signed Kyle Tucker to a massive $240 million deal.
The Dodgers are the "Final Boss" of baseball.
If you're looking for a score today, January 17, 2026, you're going to find a whole lot of nothing. We are currently in the "dead zone" of the offseason. Pitchers and catchers don't even report to Camelback Ranch until February 13. But the obsession with the box score doesn't stop just because there isn't a live game. We're all just looking at the theoretical box score of the 2026 lineup, wondering how Dave Roberts is going to fit Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and now Kyle Tucker into the top four spots.
It’s basically a video game roster at this point.
What Most People Get Wrong About Reading the Box Score
Most fans just scan for the "R-H-E" line and call it a day. 5-4 Dodgers. 10 hits. No errors. Cool. But if you really want to understand why this team won 93 games last year and then a ring, you have to look at the "LOB" (Left On Base) and the pitch counts.
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Take that Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. The final was 5-4, Dodgers over Toronto. If you just looked at the score, you’d think it was a slugfest. It wasn't. It was a 11-inning grind where the Dodgers' bullpen—guys like Evan Phillips and the newly signed Edwin Diaz—had to lock it down because the starters were gassed.
A box score is a story. It’s not just numbers.
Breaking Down the 2026 Schedule
Since there isn't a Dodgers game box score to dissect this morning, we have to look ahead. The 2026 Spring Training schedule is already out. Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 21. That’s the first time we’ll see a real box score again.
- Feb 21: @ Angels (The Freeway Series starts early in Tempe)
- Feb 22: @ Padres (Expect some chirping in Peoria)
- Feb 23: vs Mariners (Home opener at Camelback Ranch)
- March 4: vs Team Mexico (World Baseball Classic exhibition – this one will be loud)
The "Spring Breakout" games are also returning from March 19-22. That’s where you see the prospects. If you’re a real box score nerd, those are the ones you watch to see who the next 100-mph arm is.
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Why the Kyle Tucker Move Changes Everything
You probably saw the news yesterday. $240 million. $30 million of that is deferred, because of course it is. The Dodgers love their "pay you later" contracts.
When the first regular-season Dodgers game box score drops in late March, look at the "AB" (At Bats) for the bottom of the order. Last year, the tail end of the lineup was occasionally a black hole. With Tucker in the mix, Tommy Edman likely moves to second base full-time, and the depth becomes terrifying.
Opposing pitchers are going to be at 80 pitches by the fourth inning just trying to get through this gauntlet.
The Pitching Question
The box scores from 2025 showed a team with a 3.95 ERA. That was 16th in the league. Not exactly "dominant." While the offense was 2nd in runs and home runs, the pitching was... well, human.
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For 2026, the box score will be missing a legend. Clayton Kershaw has retired and joined Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. Seeing a Dodgers box score without "Kershaw, C" in the pitching lines is going to feel wrong for a while. We're looking at Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow to carry the heavy lifting now.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you’re tracking the Dodgers this year, don't just look at the final score.
- Watch the "P-S" (Pitches-Strikes) ratio for Yamamoto. If he's under 15 pitches per inning, he's untouchable.
- Check the "RISP" (Runners in Scoring Position) stats. The Dodgers struggled there in July of last year (lost 6 in a row at one point).
- Follow the minor league box scores for Oklahoma City. That’s where Nick Robertson and Chuckie Robinson are starting 2026. One injury in LA and these guys are back on the 40-man roster.
The first pitch of the 2026 preseason is just over a month away. Until then, we’re just refreshing the transaction wire. Check back on February 21 for the first real data.