The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their 2020 Cactus League schedule on Saturday with a road matchup against the San Francisco Giants, marking a change from prior years. The Dodgers historically have faced the Chicago White Sox, either as the home or road team, at Camelback Ranch.
L.A. will be the designated home team when they face the White Sox on Monday for the first time this spring; a tilt against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch is sandwiched between the Dodgers’ spring opener and playing their facility’s co-tenant.
As for when the Dodgers take the field at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday, manager Dave Roberts announced they will hand the ball to Tony Gonsolin, followed by Alex Wood taking the mound Sunday, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Tony Gonsolin starts Saturday and Alex Wood starts Sunday.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) February 20, 2020
It appeared Clayton Kershaw would possibly start the Cactus League opener as he remained on schedule to do so following a bullpen session on Wednesday, his third of Spring Training. Whenever the left-hander starts it will mark to his first Cactus League action since 2018.
Kershaw was unable to overcome shoulder trouble that surfaced during bullpen sessions and led to beginning the 2019 season on the injured list. It prevented him from making what would have been a franchise-record ninth consecutive Opening Day start.
Meanwhile, Gonsolin’s outing could be the first step toward winning the battle for the final spot in the starting rotation. At present time Kershaw, Walker Buehler and David Price are locks, and based on comments by Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, so too is Julio Urias.
Shortly after returning to the Dodgers on a one-year contract, Wood suggested he signed with the team under the premise he too would be a starter. Thus, it’s not a stretch to believe he has the inside track over the likes of Gonsolin, Dustin May, Jimmy Nelson and Ross Stripling.
Wood recently threw live batting practice on a backfield at Camelback Ranch, facing Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager.
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