The Los Angeles Dodgers are slowing rounding into better health as players are recovering from a virus that swept through the clubhouse. After back-to-back games that saw their starting pitcher scratched because of it, the Dodgers move ahead, as planned, with Clayton Kershaw on the mound.
His second outing of the spring comes against the Chicago White Sox, with the Dodgers this time serving as the designated road team at Camelback Ranch. Kershaw went all of one inning in his spring debut, retiring each of the Seattle Mariners batters faced.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is expected to pitch two innings on Friday. Brock Stewart and Tom Koehler are among those scheduled to follow Kershaw.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers face Miguel Gonzalez in what’s his spring debut. Gonzalez spent 2016 and most of the 2017 season with the White Sox but finished last season with the Texas Rangers.
The right-hander is a career 6-8 with a 5.36 ERA in 26 Spring Training games (19 starts). Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal are a combined 0-for-11 against Gonzalez.
Andrew Toles, who hit his first home run of the spring on Wednesday, is making his fifth start but first in center field. Toles said he’s encouraged by how his knee has responded to playing games for the first time since last May.
The Dodgers slugged their way to a 13-5 victory against the White Sox in their Cactus League opener on Feb. 23. Justin Turner, Kiké Hernandez, Matt Kemp, and Logan Forsythe each homered during the game.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Andrew Toles
LF: Joc Pederson
C: Yasmani Grandal
DH: Travis Taijeron
RF: Alex Verdugo
3B: Jake Peter
1B: Edwin Rios
2B: Tim Locastro
SS: Omar Estevez
White Sox lineup:
2B: Yoan Moncada
SS: Tim Anderson
1B: Jose Abreu
RF: Avisail Garcia
DH: Matt Davidson
C: Welington Castillo
LF: Nicky Delmonico
3B: Yolmer Sanchez
CF: Adam Engel
