The Los Angeles Dodgers face off against the Chicago White Sox, their Camelback Ranch co-tenant, for the third time this spring. Sunday’s contest is a matchup between two premier southpaws in Clayton Kershaw and fellow ace Chris Sale.
Just as they were on March 15 and will be again on March 26, the Dodgers are considered the road team. Chicago beat the Dodgers in walk-off fashion four days ago in a game the clubs combined to hit five home runs over the final three innings.
Kershaw celebrates his 28th birthday by making his fourth start of Spring Training. In his last outing, which came against the Colorado Rockies, Kershaw threw five scoreless innings and had three strikeouts.
Overall this spring, Kershaw has allowed eight hits and one earned run in 10 innings pitched. He’s done so with recording 10 strikeouts compared to just three walks. For his career, Kershaw has faced the White Sox three times (2008, 2012 and 2014).
In 2014, he went eight innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out nine batters in a win. Kershaw tossed two shutout innings and recorded two strikeouts against the White Sox in the 2016 Cactus League opener.
Pedro Baez, J.P. Howell and Kenley Jansen are expected to pitch in relief. As for Sale, he’s making his Spring Training debut. The left-hander pitched in a B game opposite Scott Kazmir on Monday, and has also been in the news for his criticism of White Sox management over Adam LaRoche’s retirement.
Sale went 13-11 last season with a 3.41 ERA, 2.73 FIP, 114 ERA+ and 1.09 WHIP. The four-time All Star has faced the Dodgers twice in his six-year career, with his last outing coming in 2012. In a combined six innings pitched against the Dodgers, Sale has allowed seven earned runs on nine hits and five walks.
The Dodgers are using a lineup heavy on right-handed batters in the matchup between elite southpaws. One day after hitting a towering solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Howie Kendrick moves from third base to second.
Scott Van Slyke is at first base, while Austin Barnes gets another start at second base. The Dodgers are starting a relatively inexperienced outfield, with speedster Rico Noel in right field, Trayce Thompson covering center and Elian Herrera manning left.
Dodgers Lineup:
SS: Kiké Hernandez
3B: Howie Kendrick
1B: Scott Van Slyke
DH: Alex Guerrero
C: A.J. Ellis
2B: Austin Barnes
CF: Trayce Thompson
LF: Elian Herrera
RF: Rico Noel
White Sox Lineup:
RF: Adam Eaton
CF: Austin Jackson
1B: Jose Abreu
3B: Todd Frazier
LF: Avisail Garcia
2B: Brett Lawrie
DH: Jerry Sands
C: Dioner Navarro
SS: Tyler Saladino
