The Los Angeles Dodgers reminded everyone what they're capable of Monday night, rolling to an 8-3 victory over the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. But the biggest story wasn't on the scoreboard—it was about who won't be in the lineup Tuesday.

Shohei Ohtani won't serve as the designated hitter in the series finale. For a Dodgers team that finally looked like its old self, the decision signals a clear priority: Ohtani the pitcher has been nearly untouchable lately, while Ohtani the hitter is still searching for his rhythm. With the offense clicking, the Dodgers can afford to lean on certainty.

And click they did. The Dodgers wasted no time setting the tone, grabbing a 1-0 lead before starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto even threw a pitch. Kyle Tucker delivered an RBI single in his first at-bat back in Houston as a Dodger, a soft liner that immediately put pressure on the Astros.

Yamamoto's night started shakily—28 pitches in the first inning, scattered command, and two runs crossing the plate. Jose Altuve singled in one run, and a wild curveball that skipped past catcher Will Smith allowed another to score. It's a troubling trend: six of the 15 runs Yamamoto has allowed this season have come in the opening frame.

But like he's done before, Yamamoto settled in. From the second inning onward, he looked like the ace the Dodgers are counting on—efficient, precise, and increasingly dominant. He finished six innings with eight strikeouts, allowing three runs on five hits. Not perfect, but controlled. And with this offense, controlled is more than enough.

The second inning brought a breakthrough that had been a long time coming. Rookie Alex Freeland crushed a game-tying home run, snapping a six-game homer drought—the club's longest since 2014. It didn't immediately open the floodgates, but it loosened something. You could feel the energy shift in the dugout, in the swings, in the way at-bats stretched deeper. A few batters later, Ohtani drew a walk—one of two free passes in a hitless night—and Will Smith followed with a sharply hit ball to keep the momentum rolling.

For Dodgers fans, Monday night was a glimpse of the team they've been waiting to see: timely hitting, resilient pitching, and the kind of swagger that comes from knowing you can win even when your biggest star isn't at his best at the plate.