Dodgers lineup: Alex Wood gets the start in game No. 3 vs. Giants

Clayton Kershaw played catch in the outfield at Dodger Stadium on Saturday morning before the Dodgers took on the San Francisco Giants.

Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday hours before his scheduled opening day start because of back stiffness. It’s the second consecutive season he’ll start on the injured list.

Dustin May started Thursday in place of Kershaw on Thursday and will take his spot in the rotation again Wednesday against the Houston Astros, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Saturday.

Max Muncy is back in the leadoff spot for the Dodgers on Saturday as they look to defeat the Giants for the third straight game to begin the season.

In a surprise move, Muncy, not Mookie Betts, batted first in the Dodgers’ series opener Thursday. Betts had led off in every spring training, intrasquad and exhibition game he played in since joining the Dodgers in February.

But Roberts said Muncy would bat leadoff against right-handed starting pitchers “for the foreseeable future.” Roberts explained the move is to split left- and right-handed batters throughout the lineup, making pitching decisions more difficult for the opposition. Muncy didn’t bat leadoff in a game in 2019.

Betts is batting second again Saturday. He is 2 for 11 with an RBI and a run scored. He tallied a hit in each of his first two games as a Dodger.

Chris Taylor gets the start as the designated hitter after colliding with the 270-pound Pablo Sandoval at first base Friday. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate for the second time.

Starting lineup

(Kent Nishimura; Allison Hong / Los Angeles Times)

Starting pitcher