Dodgers vs Guardians: Live Score, Highlights & Must-See Moments from Tonight’s MLB Showdown

The Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians tonight at Progressive Field in a clash that could reshape the early-season standings in both leagues. After dropping two of three to the New York Mets, Dave Roberts’ club is eager to restart its high-powered offense behind ace right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, while Cleveland counters with flame-throwing sophomore Gavin Williams. Momentum check • Dodgers (32-21) are tied for the third-best record in MLB but sit only a half-game ahead of the Padres in the NL West. Over the weekend in Queens they were held to just three runs in the final two games, a rare drought for a lineup that ranks top-three in OPS. • Guardians (29-23) just took three of four from division-leading Detroit, outscoring the Tigers 17-6 before running into Tarik Skubal’s shutout on Sunday. The series win pulled Stephen Vogt’s young club within four games of first in the AL Central. Pitching matchup • Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-2, 2.87 ERA) is coming off a career-high 110-pitch masterpiece: seven innings of one-hit ball with nine strikeouts versus Arizona. The $325 million import has alternated dominant outings with occasional command lapses, but L.A. has won eight of his first 11 starts. • Gavin Williams (4-2, 3.94 ERA) owns the highest walk rate among MLB starters with at least 40 innings (12.4 %), yet the 6-foot-6 righty pairs 97 mph heat with a 30 % whiff rate that has produced 54 strikeouts in 48 innings. Williams’ two prior meetings with the Dodgers were disasters—he surrendered 10 earned runs in five total innings—but he enters tonight with a 2.25 ERA over his last four starts. Key storylines to watch Shohei Ohtani’s road rage: The two-way superstar launched his league-leading 19th homer on Sunday and owns a .350/.433/.745 slash away from Dodger Stadium. Progressive Field’s short right-field porch could suit his left-handed power. Mookie at short, Betts at bat: Sliding to shortstop full-time has not cooled Mookie Betts’ MVP candidacy; he leads the NL in OBP (.425) and WAR (4.3). He’ll be tested by Cleveland’s elite infield defense anchored by Andrés Giménez. Guardians’ new leadoff spark: Steven Kwan returned from the IL last week and instantly lengthened the lineup, batting .415 in his first eight games back. His contact skills will challenge Yamamoto’s splitter-curve combo. Bullpen chess: Both teams lean on deep relief corps. The Dodgers’ Tanner Scott blew a ninth-inning save Friday, while Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase has converted 16 of 17 chances and sports a 0.92 ERA. Injury notes • Dodgers: Max Muncy (hamstring) is back at third base after a precautionary Sunday off. Chris Taylor, released last week, signed with the Angels and will not face his former team. • Guardians: Josh Naylor (thumb) remains day-to-day but is penciled in at catcher tonight, allowing rookie Kyle Manzardo to stay at first base. What it means For Los Angeles, another sluggish series could drop them behind San Diego and tighten a division that has five teams within six games. For Cleveland, a statement win over a perennial powerhouse would keep pressure on Detroit and signal that this youthful roster is a legitimate October threat. First pitch & broadcast Game 1 begins at 6:10 p.m. ET (3:10 p.m. PT) and airs on SportsNet LA, Bally Sports Great Lakes and MLB.TV. Fans can follow live updates, box score and Statcast data on ESPN and MLB.com. SEO takeaway Expect high search interest around “Dodgers vs Guardians live score,” “Shohei Ohtani home run video,” “Yoshinobu Yamamoto start,” and “Gavin Williams fastball velocity.” Bookmark this page for in-game highlights and post-game analysis as the Dodgers and Guardians battle for early-season momentum in Cleveland.