With Tony Gonsolin slated to make his first Cactus League start of the year against the San Francisco Giants, the Los Angeles Dodgers elected to bump Clayton Kershaw to a “B” game on Sunday.
L.A. could have sent Kershaw to the mound Monday on an extra day of rest, but that start is being taken by Trevor Bauer. He’s going on five days’ rest after last pitching out of the bullpen to piggyback Kershaw.
The Dodgers’ Opening Day starter labored in that outing against the Milwaukee Brewers as he allowed five runs on eight hits, including two homers, in four innings.
“It’s never good when you’re a better hitter than a pitcher,” Kershaw said after the start in which he batted for the first time and hit a single. “So I’ve got some things to work on obviously. … Not great. Not great. Not a lot of positives. Just keep going, figure it out.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained the decision to have Kershaw start in a “B” game is simply to better ensure he builds up to five innings, not because of lingering concern over his last outing.
“I think with Clayton it’s more of just making sure the delivery is where it needs to be, throwing the baseball the way he needs to and executing pitches,” Roberts explained. “I do know his last ‘pen a couple days ago was really good.”
After Sunday, Kershaw’s next start is expected to come in a Cactus League game. Assuming it comes on normal rest, that would be Thursday against the Oakland Athletics. Kershaw then would go five days before taking the mound for his ninth career Opening Day start.
Dustin May Day
The Dodgers have not finalized their starting rotation for the regular season, though it presumably will include Julio Urias. He could be the final member, but David Price being open to a bullpen role in theory has created a second available spot.
Dustin May is among the pitchers who has been stretched out as a starter this spring, and on Saturday he struck out seven in 4.2 innings against the San Diego Padres, flashing improved command of his breaking ball.
“I thought it was his best one yet,” Roberts said. “Fastball command to all quadrants was really good. I thought this was the best feel he’s had with the curveball and his cutter had the action that it needed.
“Tempo was good, there was some soft-contact grounders in there. Overall, threw the ball really well.”
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