Kershaw given a breather; newly retired Utley to assist at camp
by Cary Osborne
After missing a day at Spring Training camp on Thursday, Clayton Kershaw was back at Camelback Ranch on Friday. Kershaw threw to live hitters on Monday and a bullpen on Wednesday and came away from it not feeling right physically. He will not play catch on Friday.
Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw’s back, which has put him on the disabled list in each of the last three seasons, was not the issue and that it was his arm.
“I’m pretty good with reading players, reading Clayton and listening to the training staff. No one’s alarmed or worried about it,” Roberts said.
Roberts said Kershaw will resume throwing when Kershaw and the team’s training staff agree that it’s right. Roberts also said this was a move to just reset Kershaw and because it’s so early in camp, there’s plenty of time for the left-hander to build up for the start of the regular season.
“He just didn’t feel right a couple of days ago,” Roberts said. “Clayton doesn’t want to miss a workout, so when he says he doesn’t feel right and when you’re looking at the calendar, just to push things back is prudent.
“For him, he holds himself to a high standard, and he really wasn’t pleased how he felt (after his sessions).”
Chase Utley in camp
Newly retired Chase Utley was walking the halls at Camelback Ranch on Friday.
Roberts said Utley will be in camp for a couple of days and will work with Dodger minor leaguers.
“(His role) hasn’t been completely defined (going forward). I think we want to give Chase as much latitude as he wants,” Roberts said.
Roberts said he hoped Utley would connect with middle infielders Gavin Lux and Omar Estevez, both non-roster invitees to big league camp. Lux, the Dodgers’ 2016 first-round pick, was the Dodgers’ 2018 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of Year. The 20-year-old Estevez saw vast improvement last year in his second year at High-A Rancho Cucamonga, seeing a jump in OPS from .657 in 2017 to .792 in 2018.
Hill on the hill
Rich Hill will get the assignment as the starting pitcher for the Dodgers’ Cactus League opener on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch. Hyun-Jin Ryu will start on Sunday against the Angels at Camelback Ranch.
