Clayton Kershaw takes the mound Friday night against the Oakland Athletics for his final start of Spring Training and in the penultimate Cactus League game for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Edwin Rios is expected to be get in a game for the first time since March 19.
“He had a little bit of a cramp, mild hamstring-type thing that we wanted him to be down for a few days,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained. “He’s been running around, feeling good and he’ll be back in there.”
Rios has struggled this spring as he’s batting .182/.250/.273 with two doubles and two RBI in 22 at-bats over 10 games. Rios nonetheless figures to be included on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster as the primary backup to Justin Turner at third base.
For Kershaw, he’s back in Cactus League action after most recently pitching in a “B” game at Camelback Ranch. It came on the heels of Kershaw being visibly frustrated after struggling against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Roberts explained the decision simply stemmed from wanting to ensure Kershaw stretched out to five innings. He successfully accomplished as much and wound up facing one batter in a sixth inning.
The team hopes to get Kershaw through five innings and potentially into the sixth as well. He will have an extra day of rest before taking the mound on Opening Day.
Corey Knebel is expected to appear against the A’s as well. He and Kenley Jansen each pitched Thursday, though in a reduced capacity to set up their respective back-to-back. Jansen wound up getting his work in during a simulated game Friday.
“I think for the most part the guys that are going to break (camp) with us, that we see doing that, they’ll run through that exercise,” Roberts explained.
Oakland counters with Chris Bassitt, who is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three starts this spring. Bassitt has yet to exceed 3.2 innings in any outing, and is coming off scoreless work against the L.A. Angels after allowing one run in each of his first two starts.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
CF: Cody Bellinger
1B: Max Muncy
LF: AJ Pollock
C: Austin Barnes
2B: Gavin Lux
P: Clayton Kershaw
A’s lineup
LF: Mark Canha
SS: Elvis Andrus
1B: Matt Olson
CF: Ramón Laureano
RF: Stephen Piscotty
C: Aramis Garcia
3B: Vimael Machín
DH: Francisco Peña
2B: Tony Kemp
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