Dodgers’ Kershaw says he won’t play for U.S. in WBC

GLENDALE, ARIZ. » Los Angeles Dodgers lefthander Clayton Kershaw says he won’t be pitching for the United States at the World Baseball Classic and called the situation “super disappointing.”

“Probably my last chance to get to do it, so I really wanted to do it, but it just didn’t work out for a number of reasons,” Kershaw told reporters Friday from the Dodgers’ spring training camp. “Disappointing, but that’s OK. I’ll be ready for the season. I’ll be ready to go.”

The three-time Cy Young Award winner didn’t specify the reasons that would prevent him from participating. A replacement was not announced.

“There were some factors that were making it hard for me to play,” Kershaw said. “I tried to work it out on my own, tried to work it out with MLB, union, the team. Everybody worked hard to try to make it work. Just wasn’t able to.”

Kershaw, who turns 35 on March 19, added that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has been helpful throughout the process.

Kershaw signed a $20 million, one-year contract to return to the Dodgers this season. He went 12-3 with 2.28 ERA in 22 starts and had two stints on the injured list last season.

Pirates top Choi in arbitration

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. » Pittsburgh beat first baseman Ji-Man Choi in salary arbitration on Friday while Seattle outfielder Teoscar Hernández and St. Louis pitcher Génesis Cabrera went to the last two hearings of the year.

Choi got a raise from $3.2 million to $4.65 million instead of his $5.4 million request. The 31-year-old hit .233 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs for Tampa Bay and made $3.2 million, then was traded to the Pirates in November for a minor leaguer.

Teams hold an 8-5 lead with six decisions to be issued Saturday.

Rays withdraw early roster moves

KISSIMMEE, FLA, » The Tampa Bay Rays withdrew their transactions of placing reliever Andrew Kittredge on the 60-day injured iist and selecting the contract of right-hander Trevor Kelley to the 40-man roster.

The decision on Friday came after the commissoner’s office failed to approve the transactions, made a day earlier. Tampa Bay could select Kelley to the roster March 15 or later.

Kittredge is recovering from Tommy John surgery and last pitched on June 7.