Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen continues prodigious prickly pitching in Cactus League win
PHOENIX — The Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday.
ON THE MOUND: Walker Buehler surrendered an unearned run in four innings. The right-hander, pitching on a normal spring training schedule for the first time as a major leaguer, gave up five hits and had five strikeouts with one walk. The White Sox scored the unearned run in the first inning on catcher Austin Barnes’ throwing error to second base. … Kenley Jansen relieved Buehler and continued his Cactus League dominance. The Dodgers closer struck out the side in the fifth. The first two strikeouts, the second against former batting champion Tim Anderson, came on three pitches each. He threw 12 pitches total, 10 for strikes, and his cutter velocity sat between 90 mph and 92 mph. Jansen has faced 16 hitters this spring and compiled nine strikeouts with two hits in five scoreless frames.
Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen is showcasing the effectiveness he had as an All-Star closer in back-to-back appearances in the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves.
AT THE PLATE: Will Smith started as the Dodgers’ designated hitter and went one for two with his first home run of the spring, a solo shot off White Sox ace Lucas Giolito in the second inning. … Austin Barnes, who started at catcher, went two for three with an RBI double. … AJ Pollock and Edwin Ríos each went 0 for 3 as their spring struggles continued. Pollock is batting .111 in Cactus League games. Ríos is hitting .100.
EXTRA BASES: Caleb Ferguson told reporters Wednesday that he doubts he’ll return to pitch this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September. Ferguson, who also had the surgery in high school, said he’s thrown a handful of times and has stretched out the distance to 60 feet.
Dodgers reliever Caleb Ferguson is set to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair a tear in his left ulnar collateral ligament.
UP NEXT: David Price is scheduled to make his third appearance and first start of the spring Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m. at Salt Lake River Fields at Talking Stick. TV: SNLA. Radio: AM 570.
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