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Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke expected to start in Australia for Dodgers

It looks like Clayton Kershaw will start one of the Dodgers' season-opening games in Australia.
(Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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PHOENIX – The Dodgers are planning to start Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in their season-opening series in Australia, Manager Don Manager intimated Saturday.

Mattingly stopped short of officially naming Kershaw and Greinke his starters for the two-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. But when pressed on the matter, Mattingly said: “Kersh is our No. 1 guy. That’s not hard to say. Zack kind of lines up right there right next to him.”

The series is scheduled for March 22-23, which falls about a week earlier than recent season openers.

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Mattingly said all of the team’s starting pitchers, with the possible exception of Josh Beckett, will be prepared to pitch in Australia. If Kershaw or Greinke have to skip a bullpen session this spring for any reason, their readiness could be compromised.

Beckett might be on a more conservative schedule because he is recovering from an operation to relieve a nerve problem.

Kershaw and Greinke said they don’t expect to do anything particularly different this camp.

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Around the time of the Australia series, Greinke said, is “when you start to feel pretty good. That will be about right on time.

“I’m assuming I won’t be throwing eight innings over in Australia. I guess it’s possible, but I’m guessing it will probably be more of a 90-pitch type thing.”

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