Jimmy Rollins to lead off for Dodgers in exhibition opener

Reporting from Phoenix — Jimmy Rollins will lead off for the Dodgers in their Cactus League opener Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox.

“That’s the one guy that I think that we are pretty sure about,” Manager Don Mattingly said. “Jimmy’s really kind of that leadoff guy. We don’t truly have anyone else that really fits in that role. Jimmy, he’s hit a lot of one, he’s hit a lot of two, I’ve seen him hit three, but I think on our club, we look at Jimmy as that guy at the top.”

The switch-hitting Rollins stole 28 bases last season for the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I think he give us a guy from both sides, he gives us a guy with speed,” Mattingly said. “He profiles up there.”

But he batted only .243 and had an unremarkable on-base percentage of .323.

“Jimmy is who he is,” Mattingly said.

Yasiel Puig will not play Wednesday. Asked where he might hit when he is in the lineup, Mattingly replied, “He could be a three, he could be a four, he could be a five. Yasiel’s got the capabilities of doing a lot of stuff.”

Andre Ethier will start in center field Wednesday. Mattingly plans to play Ethier all over the outfield in the exhibition season, saying he will start him in right field in his next game.

The Dodgers lineup for Wednesday:

Jimmy Rollins SS

Carl Crawford LF

Adrian Gonzalez 1B

Howie Kendrick 2B

Yasmani Grandal C

Andre Ethier CF

Juan Uribe 3B

Joc Pederson DH

Chris Heisey RF

Erik Bedard P