The Los Angeles Dodgers play their first split-quad games of 2017 Spring Training on Friday, hosting the Kansas City Royals and facing the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields. Their road contest begins at 12:10 p.m. PT, or five minutes after first pitch at Camelback Ranch.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt join the club on the road, to watch Brandon McCarthy make his first Cactus League start of the year. The right-hander battled hip trouble and a case of the yips last season, but is said to have overcome both issues.
Roberts and Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi were encouraged by McCarthy’s throwing sessions this spring. The 33-year-old went 2-3 with a 4.95 ERA, 3.70 FIP and 1.38 WHIP in 10 games (nine starts) last season.
Fabio Castillo, Steve Geltz, Trevor Oaks and Jacob Rhame are slated to follow McCarthy. The Diamondbacks counter with Zack Greinke, who is also making his spring debut.
After signing a record contract, Greinke struggled in his first season with the Diamondbacks, going 13-7 with a 4.36 ERA, 4.12 FIP and 1.27 WHIP in 26 starts. He suffered an oblique strain and was later shut down due to shoulder inflammation.
The 33-year-old recently expressed confidence he and the Diamondbacks would enjoy a better season this year than they did in 2016. Greinke’s spring begins by facing a Dodgers lineup that sees the returns of Logan Forsythe and Corey Seager.
Forsythe missed the past three games after receiving a series of lubricating injections in his right knee. Seager last played Monday, then rested due to taking a foul ball off his right shin. He was sent for X-rays, which came back negative.
Andre Ethier makes his fourth start of the year, but for the first time is not batting in the leadoff spot. Ethier is enjoying another productive spring, as he enters 2-for-6 with one home run, one RBI and three walks.
McCarthy will face multiple Diamondbacks regulars, including Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb and Nick Ahmed.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
SS: Corey Seager
DH: Andre Ethier
1B: Scott Van Slyke
CF: Joc Pederson
RF: Andrew Toles
C: Austin Barnes
3B: Charlie Culberson
LF: Alex Verdugo
Diamondbacks lineup:
LF: Gregor Blanco
2B: Daniel Descalso
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
3B: Jake Lamb
SS: Chris Owings
CF: Jeremy Hazelbaker
DH: Nick Ahmed
RF: Socrates Brito
C: Jeff Mathis
