Hiroki Kuroda starts Wednesday, but it’s all very hush-hush

Reporting from San Diego — In his third season in the majors, Hiroki Kuroda has an increased understanding of American culture — enough to understand the concept that he could be jinxed by the written word.

So when initially approached Tuesday, Kuroda smiled and used his left hand to simulate the sealing of his lips.

The reason?

He starts on Wednesday.

The last time he had something written about him in this newspaper on the day he started was on July 2. He was pounded by the Arizona Diamondbacks for six runs in a season-low 1 2/3 innings.

“After that, I don’t want to take a chance,” Kuroda said, laughing.

That only happened once, Kuroda was told. This could serve as an experiment.

“Experiment?” he replied, still laughing. “What if I get hit?”

Kuroda has posted a 2.14 earned-run average in three starts since the debacle in Arizona.

Eventually, Kuroda agreed to talk — under one condition.

“If I get hit tomorrow,” he told a reporter, “I’m going to blame you.”

Anticipated matchup unlikely

The Dodgers’ media notes pointed out that because Clayton Kershaw was serving a five-game suspension and scheduled to make his next Sunday, he was in line to pitch against Washington Nationals rookie Stephen Strasburg on Aug. 6 at Dodger Stadium.

But the showdown of up-and-coming 22-year-olds appeared to evaporate before the Dodgers’ eyes, as the television sets in the clubhouse showed Strasburg scratched from his start Tuesday because he had trouble warming up. Strasburg was diagnosed with inflammation in his right shoulder.

Kershaw, who was suspended for throwing at Aaron Rowand of the San Francisco Giants, said he still disagreed with the commissioner’s office’s decision to punish him.

“I don’t think I should have missed a start for it,” said Kershaw, who declined to say whether he threw at Rowand intentionally.

But he said he dropped his appeal because his hearing was set for Thursday, which would have been four days since his last start. Had he lost the appeal, he would have had to start serving his suspension the next day, meaning he would have been forced to sit a total of nine games.

Ethier a late scratch

Andre Ethier was removed from Dodgers the lineup before the game because of illness.

Xavier Paul moved from left field to Ethier’s usual position in right and Garret Anderson started in left.

Ethier was said by a team spokesman to have the same stomach virus that hit closer Jonathan Broxton and backup catcher Brad Ausmus in recent days.

However, Ethier felt well enough to pinch-hit in the seventh inning, when he delivered a two-run single with two out and the bases loaded to break a 0-0 tie.

Mattingly to manage

Hitting coach Don Mattingly, who is being championed by Joe Torre to be the Dodgers’ next manager, was officially named the manager of the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.

The managerial post will be Mattingly’s first.

If Mattingly goes from managing the Desert Dogs to the Dodgers, he won’t be the first manager to make such a move. Before taking over the San Francisco Giants in 1993, Dusty Baker’s only previous managerial experience was in the Fall League.

Fall League play begins Oct. 12, meaning Mattingly’s assignment could be shorter than the usual five weeks if the Dodgers advance to the postseason.

Short hops

Manny Ramirez did not accompany the Dodgers to San Diego, heading instead to their spring training facility in Arizona to continue rehabilitating his strained calf. . . . Utility infielder Juan Castro, who spent last season with the Dodgers, was signed to a minor league contract. Castro was released by the Philadelphia Phillies on July 17 after hitting .198 in 54 games.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

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