Corey Seager continues red-hot spring training with another home run

In their first game back at Dodger Stadium in six months, the Dodgers turned on the power, with four home runs in a 10-2 win over the Angels in the middle game of the Freeway Series on Monday night.

Corey Seager hit a solo shot in the second inning, but he wasn’t the Dodgers shortstop who homered on Monday. That was Chris Taylor, who hit a two-run shot earlier in the frame.

Seager, who was the designated hitter on Monday, hit his eighth home run of the spring, the most spring training home runs by a Dodger since at least 2004.

Spring training stats aren’t gospel by any means, but this is a carry over from last year, when he slugged .585 during the regular season then slammed eight home runs in the postseason, winning both NLCS MVP and World Series MVP.

“I think it’s just overall maturation, mentally and emotionally. He’s physically healthy. His approach at the plate, his mechanics are all dialed in, synced up,” manager Dave Roberts said. “There’s homers in there, but he’s a guy that takes really good at-bats. He knows where the barrel’s at, and he hits it hard.”

Catcher Will Smith hit a three-run home run in the third inning, capping off a seven-run night against Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani, who left a torn blister on his right hand that he said first formed in his last start.

Cody Bellinger homered in the fifth inning off Junior Guerra.

All that offense was enough to back Julio Urías, who pitched his longest outing of the spring at 5⅔ innings. He needed only 68 pitches thanks to allowing only two hits, the first coming in the fifth inning, a solo home run by Phil Gosselin, the only run allowed by Urías in his final exhibition tuneup.

“We feel very good where he’s at right now,” Roberts said.

Notes

• Urías will next start on Sunday in Colorado, the final game of the season-opening weekend series against the Rockies.
• Scott Alexander, vying for the final bullpen spot, allowed a run on two hits in the ninth inning, striking out one and hitting a batter. Dennis Santana, also vying for that roster spot, will pitch in relief on Tuesday.
• Dustin May starts the Freeway Series finale on Tuesday, a 6:10 p.m. PT start, an hour earlier than Monday’s game.
• The Dodgers will use a designated hitter again on Tuesday, with the regulars expected to play the finale.