The Dodgers are making history with their perfect start to the season, beating the Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night to improve to 7-0.
This matches the best start ever by a defending World Series champion, tying the 1933 New York Yankees. The Yankees eventually lost their eighth game that season.
No team in baseball history has started this hot after winning it all. Here’s how the Dodgers stack up against other champions:
• 2025 Dodgers: 7-0 (still going)
• 1933 Yankees: 7-0
• 1985 Tigers: 6-0
• 1934 Giants: 5-0
• Several teams tied at 4-0 (most recently the 1976 Reds)
But here’s the catch – none of those teams that started 5-0 or better made it back to the World Series. So even though the Dodgers look unstoppable right now, history suggests a long road ahead.
Tuesday’s game wasn’t a cakewalk. The Dodgers fell behind in the second inning when Mookie Betts had trouble gripping the ball and made an uncharacteristic throwing error.
They trailed 1-0 until the sixth inning, when Betts made up for his mistake in a big way.
The star outfielder crushed a two-run homer off Braves ace Chris Sale, last year’s National League Cy Young winner. Will Smith added an insurance run later that inning with an RBI single off reliever Pierce Johnson.
Dustin May’s return to the mound was perhaps the most inspiring story of the night. Making his first MLB appearance since May 2023 after Tommy John surgery, May looked sharp through five innings. He gave up just one run on one hit, walking three and striking out six batters.
His sinker wasn’t quite as fast as before his injury, but he relied heavily on his sweeper to keep Braves hitters off balance.
While the Dodgers are flying high, the Braves can’t catch a break. They’re now 0-6 to start the season and dealing with a mountain of injuries.
The team announced Tuesday that starter Reynaldo López needs arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder to check for structural damage.
Atlanta’s injured list reads like an All-Star roster: ace Spencer Strider, superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., catcher Sean Murphy, reliever Joe Jiménez, and infielder Ignacio Alvarez Jr. are all sidelined.
To make matters worse, outfielder Jurickson Profar, one of their big free-agent signings this winter, was suspended for 80 games on Monday after testing positive for PEDs.
The teams wrap up their series Wednesday evening, with the Dodgers looking to make history as the first defending champ to start 8-0.
