The Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics are set to continue their interleague series on May 14, 2025, at Dodger Stadium in a matchup that pairs one of the National League’s top contenders with a surprising early-season American League upstart, as the Dodgers aim to defend their dominant home turf and the A’s look to maintain their impressive road form. Los Angeles enters the game with a 27–14 record and an imposing 15–4 home record, backed by a deep, experienced roster and one of the most electric pitching duos in baseball, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto set to take the mound holding a 4–3 record and a brilliant 1.80 ERA that underscores his early Cy Young candidacy. Yamamoto has given the Dodgers consistency at the top of the rotation with pinpoint command and a mix of high-velocity fastballs and devastating off-speed pitches, helping Los Angeles cover the spread in six of their last ten games while winning 20 of 30 contests as favorites this year—a 66.7% success rate when expected to win. Offensively, the Dodgers continue to lead with firepower and balance, spearheaded by Shohei Ohtani, who has launched 12 home runs and driven in 21 RBIs through the first quarter of the season, providing middle-of-the-order thunder to a lineup that also features Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Will Smith—all capable of changing games with one swing or extended rallies built around elite plate discipline.

On the opposite side, the Athletics come in at 21–20 and have surprisingly thrived on the road, sporting a 14–7 away record and demonstrating resilience through strong pitching performances and a power-centric offense built around Brent Rooker, who leads the team with 10 home runs and 22 RBIs. Oakland will hand the ball to Gunnar Hoglund, a rising right-hander who enters the game with a 1–0 record and a 2.38 ERA, and while the sample size is small, his poise and command have made him a reliable option in the A’s rotation and a potential long-term piece for a club that has exceeded expectations in the early going. The A’s are 5–5 ATS in their last 10 and have shown a tendency to hang tough against stronger teams by keeping games close through five innings, then leaning on a bullpen that, while not elite, has been functional and effective enough to protect narrow leads or hold deficits in check. This game will likely hinge on Yamamoto’s ability to suppress Rooker and the top half of Oakland’s lineup, and whether Hoglund can neutralize Los Angeles’s left-handed threats while avoiding big innings early. If the Dodgers can get an early lead and control the middle innings with their bullpen depth and defensive sharpness, they’re positioned to secure another home win, but the Athletics, with their solid road record and competitive spirit, could make things interesting if they catch Yamamoto off his game and capitalize on limited scoring opportunities. Either way, the matchup presents a compelling test for both teams—the Dodgers looking to maintain their place atop the National League hierarchy, and the A’s seeking validation as a legitimate surprise contender through a statement win against a powerhouse.