"We're trying to win as every team is trying to do" - Dodgers manager Dave Roberts replies to Miles Mikolas' 'checkbook baseball' comments

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday in their home opener. Following their 2024 Cactus League win, the Dodgers continued to show their strength in the league.

However, before the Opening Day game, Cardinals ace Miles Mikolas referred to the Dodgers' play as "checkbook baseball" and claimed to be victorious against them. However, the Dodgers earned an impressive 7-1 victory.

At the post-game conference, Dave Roberts, the Dodgers' manager, responded to Mikolas' remark.

"I think checkbook baseball as a player, you would want that. We're trying to win as every team is trying to do,” Roberts said (via Doug McKain on X). “Miles can sound off, but I don't think anyone pays too much attention."

Since there is no cap limit in the league, the Dodgers' $1.3 billion expense is well within the rules. Moreover, the success of Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow in their home debut game justified the moves made by the Dodgers' front office.

Mikolas was the Cardinals' pitching leader last year, with a 4.78 ERA in 201.1 innings during his 35 starts. He was assigned as the Opening Day starter against the Dodgers but performed poorly, with a 10.38 ERA in 4.1 innings.

The Dodgers secured their first home win of the season

After being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a strong comeback this season.

They brought in talented players such as Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to increase their chances of making it to the postseason. The team spent over a billion dollars during the offseason, making fans and experts excited about their prospects for the season.

Their first home game didn't disappoint. Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy gave the team an early lead in the first inning. In the third inning, Mookie Betts and Freeman extended the lead with their home runs.

Paul Goldschmidt's solo home run gave the Cardinals their first run, but they failed to score more than that. Later, James Outman and Muncy recorded an RBI, and the Dodgers won the game 7-1.

Ohtani had two hits in the game, and Tyler Glasnow was exceptional with a 2.45 ERA in 6.0 innings.