Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw suffers another rough outing in exhibition loss to Athletics
The Dodgers lost 11-0 to the Oakland Athletics in an eight-inning spring-training game at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix on Friday night.
KERSHAW HIT HARD: In 354 major league starts over a 13-year career, Clayton Kershaw has given up nine runs in a regular-season game once: on April 26, 2009, at Coors Field. Kershaw gave up nine runs — eight of them earned — Friday, with the Oakland Athletics pounding him for nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. He concluded Cactus League play with a 10.22 earned-run average. In his last two Cactus League starts, he gave up 17 hits in 7 1/3 innings. “Tonight, I actually felt like there were some pitches that were better,” Kershaw said. “It’s good to know it’s in there.” He added: “I’ll just be thankful it’s spring training right now, I guess.” Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw’s fastball and curve were good, but his slider was not. “The results weren’t good, obviously,” Roberts said. “There were some misses to the big part of the plate.” Roberts said the most important thing was to build Kershaw’s pitch count, but the team had hoped he would get into the fifth or sixth inning.
The Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, who is Black and Asian American, says he’d consider declining to manage the NL team after Georgia adopts law making it harder to vote.
PITCHING IN: The Dodgers break camp Saturday, but they will return to Los Angeles without announcing how they plan to complete their starting rotation. Kershaw, Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urías are the first four starters. David Price is scheduled to start a Freeway Series exhibition Sunday in Anaheim, with Tony Gonsolin to follow. Roberts said Price, Gonsolin and Dustin May all remain under consideration for the fifth spot. The Dodgers value depth above all, and Price, Gonsolin and May are expected to make starts over the course of the 162-game season.
The Padres might be a rising power in the NL West, but the Dodgers’ enduring rivalry with the Giants spans two states, several Hall of Famers and many decades.
KNEBEL INJURY: Reliever Corey Knebel left the game after a line drive struck him in the vicinity of his left hip and lower back, knocking off his glove. Knebel did recover the ball and throw out the runner. He did not pitch in 2019 after Tommy John surgery and pitched 13 1/3 innings last season. He has a 1.35 ERA this spring. Roberts had no update on Knebel’s status after the game.
ON DECK: Bauer and the Dodgers face the Cleveland Indians on Saturday at noon at Camelback Ranch. TV: SportsNet LA. Radio: None.
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