The Los Angeles Dodgers have their final split-squad doubleheader of the spring on Sunday, as half the team will stay back at Camelback Ranch to host the San Diego Padres while the other half will travel to Maryvale Baseball Park to take on the Milwaukee Brewers.
Clayton Kershaw gets the start at home against the Padres in what’s his fifth Cactus League outing. Kershaw does not have a single blemish on his ERA so far this spring, tossing 9.2 scoreless innings while giving up six hits, striking out 11 and walking four.
If the trend continues for Kershaw, he should throw five innings or 75 pitches on Sunday, and then head down to the bullpen for one more simulated inning to continue to build his pitch count up to be ready for Opening Day.
“It is only spring. We’re talking about Clayton Kershaw, so the No. 1 thing is for him to build up the pitch count,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“The last outing was the best I’ve seen him spin the baseball consistently. His fastball command has been pretty consistent from the beginning. Clayton is exactly where he needs to be.”
Kershaw will be opposed by right-hander Tyson Ross, who returned to the Padres this past offseason on a Minor League contract after pitching for the Texas Rangers in 2017. In four games (three starts) so far this spring, Ross has given up nine hits and four runs in 11 innings (3.27 ERA) while striking out eight and issuing four walks.
Over in Maryvale, making his second start of the spring (fifth appearance) is Manny Bañuelos, who has pitched better as of late as opposed to his first two outings.
The left-hander has allowed just one run in three consecutive games, including his most recent against the Colorado Rockies. During the contest, he yielded just two hits and accumulated two strikeouts in two innings of work.
Bañuelos owns an 8.22 ERA and 1.70 WHIP over 7.2 innings with nine strikeouts to just two walks. Chase Anderson takes the mound for the Brewers in what will be his fourth Cactus League start.
The 30-year-old struggled in his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he gave up four earned runs and five hits (two home runs) across 3.2 innings. He struck out two batters without issuing a walk, but evidently battled with location issues.
For the spring, Anderson has posted a 6.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 9.2 innings with only four strikeouts and two walks. Furthermore, he has allowed 12 hits during the span — three of them for home runs.
Dodgers lineup (vs. Padres):
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
1B: Cody Bellinger
RF: Yasiel Puig
2B: Logan Forsythe
LF: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
3B: Kyle Farmer
P: Clayton Kershaw
Padres lineup:
CF: Manuel Margot
1B: Eric Hosmer
LF: Wil Myers
2B: Jose Pirela
RF: Hunter Renfroe
3B: Chase Headley
SS: Freddy Galvis
C: Austin Hedges
P: Tyson Ross
Dodgers lineup (vs. Brewers):
2B: Chase Utley
CF: Joc Pederson
LF: Matt Kemp
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Alex Verdugo
3B: Jake Peter
SS: Donovan Solano
1B: Edwin Rios
P: Manny Bañuelos
Brewers lineup:
RF: Christian Yelich
CF: Keon Broxton
1B: Ryan Braun
3B: Travis Shaw
C: Manny Piña
LF: Brett Phillips
SS: Orlando Arcia
2B: Eric Sogard
P: Chase Anderson
