Will the return of stars like Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, and Will Smith signal a strong start to the Los Angeles Dodgers' season?

The Dodgers are scheduled to begin spring training play Thursday against the Chicago Cubs at their Camelback Ranch training facility in Glendale, Arizona, but without Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.

This combo of 2025 file photos show, Los Angeles Dodgers players, top row from left, Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández, bottom row from left, Shohei Ohtani,

The Dodgers are scheduled to begin spring training play today against the Chicago Cubs at their Camelback Ranch training facility in Glendale, Arizona, but without Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.

MVP Shohei Ohtani and rookie of the year Paul Skenes were the most expensive players in the 2025 NL LABR auction, but bargains were still possible.

All it took was one swing for Shohei Ohtani to quell any early concerns about his surgically repaired left shoulder. Making his highly anticipated Cactus League debut on Friday against his former team in an eventual 6-5 Dodgers win,

Freeman (ankle) will start at first base and bat third in Sunday's Cactus League game against the White Sox. Freeman's previous two spring training starts had come as a designated hitter, but he'll return to his familiar post at first base now that he's resumed full defensive work following offseason surgery to remove loose bodies from his right ankle.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani walks back to the dugout after striking out against Davis Martin during the first inning of a spring training game against the White Sox, March. 2, 2025,

Even with a surgically-repaired shoulder and amid a second rehab from a major elbow ligament reconstruction, Shohei Ohtani looks just fine. It took just one at-bat this spring for the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar and reigning National League MVP to show he’s doing just fine,