The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their first of three exhibition games before the start of the season, welcoming the Arizona Diamondbacks to town for the first of two games on Sunday night.
The Dodgers are sending pitching prospect Mitchell White to the mound and he will be opposed by right-hander Taylor Widener.
White likely won’t figure into the Dodgers’ Major League club this season, although he is being built up as a starter in case he is needed. The Dodgers originally drafted White in the second round in 2016 out of Santa Clara University.
In 2019, the right-hander split time between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. In 23 games (20 starts) between the two levels, he went 4-6 with a 5.09 ERA and 1.30 WHIP while striking out 105 and walking 31 in 93.2 total innings.
Widener is in a similar spot of White as a pitcher who likely won’t make the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster but will serve as depth when needed. The 24-year-old spent the 2019 season with Triple-A Reno, struggling to the tune of a 6-7 record to go along with an 8.10 ERA and 1.74 WHIP with 109 strikeouts and 41 walks in 100 innings across 23 starts.
The Diamondbacks could very well be the Dodgers’ biggest competition to win the National League West in 2020. They made some additions this offseason, including Madison Bumgarner, Starling Marte and Kole Calhoun to add to a club that finished 85-77 in 2019.
Some of the Dodgers’ regulars have been swinging the bat extremely well in Summer Camp so far, including Corey Seager, Joc Pederson and Kiké Hernandez. They have the opportunity to carry those hot bats into a game with pitching from another organization as all are in Sunday’s lineup.
So if AJ Pollock, who will be the Dodgers’ first designated hitter since a universal DH has been implemented for the 2020 season. While he is a candidate to see a lot of time at DH, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said they will use it as an opportunity to get other starters off their feet as well.
Dodgers lineup:
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
CF: Cody Bellinger
SS: Corey Seager
DH: AJ Pollock
LF: Joc Pederson
2B: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
Diamondbacks lineup:
RF: Kole Calhoun
2B: Ketel Marte
CF: Starling Marte
3B: Eduardo Escobar
LF: David Peralta
C: Carson Kelly
1B: Jake Lamb
SS: Nick Ahmed
DH: Stephen Vogt
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