Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts predictably named Clayton Kershaw his starter for Saturday’s Cactus League opener against the Chicago White Sox. Along with Kershaw, Josh Ravin and Alex Wood are among the pitchers scheduled to face the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch co-tenant.
With a prolonged Spring Training due to the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Kershaw will only pitch one inning on Saturday, which is a slight deviation from spring debut’s typically being two innings of work.
While the Dodgers have questions at the back of their rotation, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda are essentially solidified as the second and third starter, respectively. Hill will take the mound in a Cactus League game on Sunday, and Maeda gets the ball the following day, per Alanna Rizzo of SportsNet LA:
Hill pitches Sunday. Maeda starts Monday.
— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) February 23, 2017
This year marks Hill’s first Spring Training with the Dodgers. He re-signed with the club during the offseason, agreeing to a three-year, $48 million contract. The veteran left-hander went 0-2 and yielded an 11.25 ERA in four starts for the Oakland Athletics last spring.
Maeda began his MLB career on a high note, throwing five shutout innings across his first two spring starts in 2016. Maeda allowed two unearned runs in his third outing, before allowing two earned runs — his first of Cactus League — in a start six days later.
He finished the spring 1-2 with a 2.35 ERA in six starts. Maeda’s outing on Monday against the Colorado Rockies will be the first in-game look at him since gaining weight during the offseason as a means to improve endurance.
Unlike the expectation for Kershaw of throwing one inning in his spring debut, Hill and Maeda are likely to go two frames in their respective first starts.
Beginning Saturday, the club will play 13 games in 12 days before their first break in the Cactus League schedule. SportsNet LA’s 16-game schedule for Spring Training includes broadcasting both games this weekend.
