Storm clouds of the literal variety gathered above Chavez Ravine as Sunday afternoon’s Freeway Series exhibition game between the Dodgers and Angels began.
But as dark as the clouds were, they were far less threatening and ominous than the figurative ones hovering over the Dodgers since news of the illegal gambling and theft scandal involving slugger Shohei Ohtani and his now-former interpreter and confidant, Ippei Mizuhara, broke on Thursday.
The Dodgers have dealt with their share of off-field tumult in recent years with domestic violence allegations sidelining Trevor Bauer in 2021 and Julio Urías in 2023, but both pitchers were immediately placed on administrative leave and removed from the team.