The Los Angeles Dodgers open their 2024 Spring Training schedule with a road matchup against the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex.
Gavin Stone is scheduled to get the start, with Michael Grove and Alex Vesia slated to follow. Ricky Vanasco, Eduardo Salazar Stephen Gonsalves, Kevin Gowdy and Elieser Hernández are also expected to pitch.
Stone has a pivotal season ahead of him after scuffling during his rookie campaign last year. Across 31 innings for the Dodgers, he posted a 9.00 ERA, 6.64 FIP and a 1.90 WHIP.
The young right-hander was named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week in late August, a solid building block towards re-establishing himself as a promising Dodgers prospect. Because of the Dodgers’ successful offseason bringing depth to their starting rotation, Stone will have to pitch his way into a regular spot on the Major League roster.
Grove has a bit more versatility than Stone, because of his success in short spurts. The 27-year-old endured a difficult season, but has a chance to be a piece of the pitching staff due to his quality secondary pitches.
Grove’s spring campaign will be a building block for the rest of his season and how he’ll be deployed.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn’t have Shohei Ohtani at his disposal on Thursday, but Mookie Betts, Chris Taylor, Gavin Lux and Austin Barnes are in the lineup against the Padres.
Ohtani discussed his plan for spring, stating that he’ll need 50 at-bats to be ready for the regular season opener when the Dodgers travel to South Korea for the Seoul Series.
Joe Musgrove gets the ball for the Padres heading into his ninth big league season. Injuries hindered the veteran right-hander in 2023, but in 97.1 innings pitched, Musgrove carried a 3.05 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, with 97 strikeouts across 17 starts.
In three seasons with the Padres, Musgrove owns a 31-19 record, 3.05 ERA and a 3.62 FIP.
Dodgers lineup
2B: Mookie Betts
SS: Chris Taylor
CF: James Outman
LF: Teoscar Hernández
C: Austin Barnes
DH: Gavin Lux
3B: Chris Owings
RF: Andy Pages
1B: Kevin Padlo
Padres lineup
RF: Fernando Tatís Jr.
2B: Xander Bogaerts
1B: Jake Cronenworth
C: Luis Campusano
SS: Ha-Seong Kim
LF: Jackson Merrill
3B: Eguy Rosario
DH: Cal Mitchell
CF: José Azocar
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