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The Dodgers put up nine runs in the first inning against the Angels on Friday night, per MLB.com — their largest first-inning output in five years. Shohei Ohtani bookended the rally with his speed and power, setting the tone early and putting an exclamation point on a dominant frame.

Ohtani continues to be the engine that drives everything we do offensively. The man is a legitimate five-tool threat every time he steps to the plate — he can beat you with his legs, his bat, or both in the same inning, as he demonstrated here. We’ve seen him do this kind of thing in flashes throughout the season, but a nine-run first inning is the kind of statement that reminds you just how dangerous this lineup is when it’s clicking on all cylinders. Ohtani’s ability to use his speed to ignite rallies and then turn around and provide the power to blow them open is something no other player in baseball can replicate. He’s been dealing with a blister on his pitching hand, but his bat clearly isn’t affected.

Nine runs before the other team even gets a second at-bat — that’s not just a good inning, that’s a demoralizing one. The Freeway Series has been entertaining this year (we walked them off with a Freddie Freeman homer earlier in the series), and this felt like the Dodgers making sure there was no drama in this one. When you can put up crooked numbers like that before your starter even has to worry about run support, it changes the entire complexion of a game.

The bigger picture here is that this lineup, when healthy and locked in, is as deep and dangerous as any in baseball. We’ve had stretches this season where the offense has gone quiet, and that’s always going to happen over 162 games. But nights like this remind you of the ceiling. Nine runs in a single inning requires contributions up and down the order — it’s not just one guy carrying the load. That’s what makes this group special. The Dodgers are built to do damage in bunches, and when the floodgates open, they really open. Five years since we last had a first inning like this, and honestly, it felt overdue with the talent we’re running out there every night.

I love games like this because they reinforce what we already know: this offense doesn’t need to manufacture runs. It can just take them. If the Dodgers can keep stacking healthy at-bats and getting guys on base ahead of their big boppers, more innings like this are coming. The Angels were on the wrong end of it this time, and frankly, once you fall behind 9-0 before you’ve even had a chance to respond, the game is effectively over. That’s the kind of punch this roster can deliver.

Source(s): Staff (MLB.com) | First reported: June 7, 2026 3:52 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers