The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their slate of Spring Training games on Saturday when they played the team they share Camelback Ranch with, the Chicago White Sox.
Clayton Kershaw got the start on the mound, and while he only threw one inning, he looked like his normal self as he retired the side in order on 12 pitches. Kershaw wasn’t fully pleased with his performance, but the afternoon was largely a success. The Dodgers came away with a 5-3 victory.
Recently acquired Logan Forsythe got the start at second base and batted leadoff in Dave Roberts’ lineup. After grounding out in his first at-bat, Forsythe got his first hit as a Dodger — a double — in the third inning. He later scored and finished 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Prior to the start of Cactus League play, Forsythe received an injection in his knee as maintenance, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“The shot itself is a lubricating shot for the knee, and they just want to stay ahead of it,” said Forsythe. “At times in the season, it gets inflamed. It’s a long time ago I had surgery on the knee. It just kind of comes back, gets aggravated with everyday play, but never kept me out of the lineup. All I know is I’m healthy.”
Forsythe had surgery on his left knee when he was in high school. Spending years on the turf in Tampa Bay certainly didn’t do the 30-year-old any favors. The lubricating injection is one that Zack Greinke received on an annual basis during his tenure with the Dodgers.
Forsythe has dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout his career, and he was limited to 127 games due to a shoulder injury in 2016 after playing a career-high 151 games in 2015. Forsythe is back in the lineup Wednesday and is again hitting leadoff.
