In five days Clayton Kershaw will take the ball for his seventh straight Opening Day start. Somewhere, Vicente Padilla is smiling. But first, Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers take on Hideki Iwakuma and the Seattle Mariners.
Kershaw’s last start against the Mariners didn’t quite go to plan. He allowed three home runs, which was the first game in which he’s surrendered three long balls since 2013. Kershaw is only scheduled to go three innings, giving him some rest before Opening Day.
On the spring he’s 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA, 28 strikeouts and has thrown 21 innings over six starts. Mitchell White, selected by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2016 Draft, is among the pitchers scheduled to follow Kershaw.
Iwakuma faces the team he nearly signed with as free agent in 2015. The deal went awry amid a spotty physical, and the Dodgers went on to sign Kenta Maeda. Iwakuma, who is entering his sixth season with the Mariners, has pitched to a 6.75 ERA in five Cactus League starts.
However, Iwakuma did allow just one run on five hits in 4.2 innings his last time out. The right-hander faces a Dodgers lineup that’s devoid of several regulars on getaway day.
Rob Segedin was scratched and replaced by Mike Ahmed at third base. Chris Taylor, still competing to earn one of the remaining bench spots on the Dodgers’ active roster, starts at shortstop.
The Mariners lineup includes Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager. Cano and Cruz were both on the Dominican Republic roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Wednesday’s game is being televised on MLB Network, and is available in the Los Angeles market. First pitch at Peoria Sports Complex is set for 1:10 p.m. PT.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Andrew Toles
C: Yasmani Grandal
1B: Scott Van Slyke
CF: Trayce Thompson
DH: Ike Davis
RF: Tyler Holt
SS: Chris Taylor
2B: Omar Estevez
3B: Mike Ahmed
Mariners lineup:
SS: Jean Segura
RF: Mitch Haniger
2B: Robinsonn Cano
DH: Nelson Cruz
3B: Kyle Seager
1B: Danny Valencia
CF: Leonys Martin
C: Mike Zunino
LF: Jarrod Dyson
