Diamondbacks Look to Bounce Back After Tough Opening Series Loss

Arizona heads home after being swept by the Dodgers to prepare for their home opener

Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:50am

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The Arizona Diamondbacks are returning home winless after being swept in a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the 2026 MLB season. Despite some bright spots, including a strong outing from starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, the Diamondbacks were unable to secure a win at Dodger Stadium. The team is now focused on their home opener on Monday, hoping the energy from their fans can help them get their first victory of the year.

Why it matters

The Diamondbacks' tough start against their divisional rival Dodgers puts them in an early hole to begin the season. However, the team remains optimistic that they can bounce back, especially with the excitement of their home opener coming up. A strong performance in front of their home crowd could provide the momentum they need to get their season on track.

The details

In the series finale, Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez pitched well, allowing just one unearned run over five innings. However, a defensive miscue by Rodriguez proved costly as it allowed the Dodgers to score their first run of the game. The Diamondbacks also had a tough-luck loss on Saturday, falling 3-2 after a freak play involving the home plate umpire seemed to shift the momentum in the Dodgers' favor. Despite the 0-3 start, the Diamondbacks feel they played well in stretches and are confident they can get things turned around.

  • The Diamondbacks' home opener is scheduled for Monday, March 31, 2026.
  • The Diamondbacks will not face the Dodgers again until June.

The players

Eduardo Rodriguez

The Diamondbacks' starting pitcher who signed a four-year, $80 million deal prior to the 2024 season. He pitched well in the series finale, allowing just one unearned run over five innings.

James McCann

The veteran Diamondbacks catcher who discussed the team's performance and their focus on bouncing back ahead of the home opener.

Torey Lovullo

The Diamondbacks' manager, who acknowledged the team's frustration with the 0-3 start but expressed confidence that they can get things turned around, especially with the energy of the home opener.

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What they’re saying

“There's things that we did well, there's things that we could have done better. But can't dwell on three games. Three games out of 162, and we've got to find a way to bounce back. We have an off-day tomorrow and look forward to getting back home and playing in front of our fans.”

— James McCann, Diamondbacks Catcher

“We won a lot of innings of baseball over the course of this three-game series. Yet we're 0-3, so that's frustrating. It's very frustrating. This was a tough series, no doubt about it. I did not think we would be coming home 0-3, but we are. We've got to understand why it happened, accept why it happened, get better, and get ready for a very, very spirited Monday Opening Day. Our crowd will be waiting for us. We can't wait to come home.”

— Torey Lovullo, Diamondbacks Manager

What’s next

The Diamondbacks will host their home opener on Monday, March 31, 2026, where they hope the energy from their fans will help them get their first win of the season.

The takeaway

The Diamondbacks' tough start against their division rival Dodgers is frustrating, but the team remains optimistic that they can bounce back, especially with the excitement of their home opener coming up. A strong performance in front of their home crowd could provide the momentum they need to get their season on track.