Dodgers name Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu as the starters for series in Australia

By Drew SilvaMar 9, 2014, 4:05 PM EDT
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As speculated last week by MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick …

Zack Greinke would have started the second game if not for a calf strain that he is still rehabbing.

Kershaw will face Diamondbacks left-hander Patrick Corbin in the first game on March 22 at the Syndey Cricket Ground in Australia and Ryu will meet D’Backs righty Trevor Cahill in the second game (March 23).

It’s only a two-game set.

If Greinke can avoid setbacks, he’ll probably line up to start the Dodgers’ first game back in the states on March 30 in San Diego. Dan Haren is L.A.’s fourth starter, and Josh Beckett or Paul Maholm will be fifth.

Clayton Kershaw to make Opening Day start for Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw Opening Day
Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
By Bill BaerJul 7, 2020, 7:00 PM EDT
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed it in March and he confirmed it again on Tuesday: Clayton Kershaw will start on Opening Day, Jorge Castillo of The Los Angeles Times reports.

The Dodgers are one of four teams that will open the 60-game regular season schedule on July 23; everyone else begins play on the 24th. With a 10 PM ET start, the Dodgers will host the Giants at Dodger Stadium.

Johnny Cueto will likely pitch opposite Kershaw for the Giants. Cueto was named the Giants’ Opening Day starter on March 11, before the league shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Manager Gabe Kapler hasn’t yet officially named an Opening Day starter for the makeshift season.

Kershaw, 32, made the Opening Day start eight consecutive times for the Dodgers from 2011-18. Hyun-Jin Ryu, now a Blue Jay, pitched on Opening Day last season for the Dodgers. Last year, Kershaw logged 178 1/3 innings over 28 starts and one relief appearance, his highest innings total since 2015. He went 16-5 with a 3.03 ERA, 189 strikeouts, and 41 walks.