Final tuneups: @ClaytonKersh22 and Zack Greinke today, @BMcCarthy32 and @BrettAnderson35 to start this weekend. pic.twitter.com/L05YUyIXyY
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 1, 2015
By Jon Weisman
Today’s Dodger farewell to Arizona offered a rare, nearly simultaneous outing for both the No. 1 and No. 2 starters — Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.
Kershaw’s final preseason tuneup (three innings, three baserunners, two strikeouts) left the Dodger ace in his familiar, humbly optimistic form.
“There’s definitely room for improvement, but physically, I feel good and feel ready to go,” Kershaw told MLB.com. “That’s all you can ask for at this point.”
Meanwhile, pitching against Dodger minor leaguers, Greinke allowed two home runs but ultimately threw 85 pitches in seven innings. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com describes the adjustments Greinke was making during the outing.
- After Kershaw departed, Zach Lee entered the game against the Royals and unfurled five nearly spotless innings. He came out in the ninth for the chance at the nearly impossible — the six-inning save. Unfortunately, Lee surrendered a two-run homer, tagging him with a blown save after 5 1/3 innings and leaving the Dodgers with their seventh tie of Spring Training, 4-4.
- Dustin McGowan was officially released by the Dodgers.
- Before Monday’s game, Don Mattingly and Arizona manager Chip Hale met — successfully, it appears — to defuse any tension between the two teams.
- J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News describes how a nearly anonymous 19-year-old Dodger minor leaguer, Victor Gonzalez, made an impression on Yasmani Grandal today.
