Kershaw to make another opening day start
Clayton Kershaw will make his seventh straight openingday start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, tying Don Sutton’s franchise record.
“You take a little bit of pride in wanting to do it every year,” Kershaw said. “I’m thankful to get to do it so long for the same team. Not a lot of people get to do that. It’s pretty cool.”
The announcement was no surprise. It took manager Dave Roberts four days into spring training to say Kershaw will start April 3 at home against the San Diego Padres.
Roberts calls this an “obvious” decision.
Sutton made sevenstraight starts from 1972 through 1978. Don Drysdale had seven opening-day starts but not in successive years. Fernando Valenzuela made six.
Kershaw is 4-0 with two no-decisions on opening day.
Tigers’ Kinsler was offseason trade bait
When the Detroit Tigers indicated they were willing to listen to offers for their top players, Ian Kinsler became a prime candidate to be traded.
The second baseman tried his best to keep an even keel amid the offseason speculation.
“This is the club I want to be on. They’re all rumors,” said Kinsler, who played the 2005 season for the Oklahoma City Red Hawks when he was a Texas Rangers prospect.
“Nothing happened, offseason went smooth, got myself prepared for today and leading up to the season. It’s all just talk.”
Kinsler’s future remains uncertain because of his contract status. The Tigers have a team option on Kinsler for 2018, so if they start cutting costs in earnest next offseason, the 34-year-old could end up being a free agent. Kinsler’s performance last year — a .288 average with 28 homers and 83 RBI — already has made him a potentially valuable trade chip.
Rangers’ Andrus ready for personal joy after career year
Professionally, it doesn’t get much better than 2016 for Elvis Andrus.
Personally, however, 2017 is going to be his year to celebrate. Andrus, the longest-tenured Texas Rangers player, got engaged to Venezuelan girlfriend Cori
Febles in December. They couple then announced a baby boy is due in July.
“Today I woke up without knowing that my biggest dream came true. I’m gonna be a DAD and is a little boy, I have no words to explain how excited and anxious I am to see my boy,” Andrus posted on Twitter.
Andrus had career-highs in batting average, RBI and on-base percentage in 2016.
Machado to play short in World Baseball Classic
Before he leaves for the World Baseball Classic,
Manny Machado is making the most of his short time at Baltimore Orioles camp. Machado, who was born in Miami, will play shortstop for the Dominican Republic in next month’s WBC, and with the Orioles’ everyday shortstop J.J. Hardy injured, he’s getting to play as much short as he wants before his March 5 departure. He estimates he’ll play six or seven spring training games before the WBC.
Dozier remains with Twins
Brian Dozier participated in Minnesota’s first full-squad workout on Sunday.
He was a little surprised, too. Dozier set career highs with 42 homers and 99 RBIs last season, one of the few bright spots in a 103-loss season for the Twins.
The second baseman was rumored to be on the move for much of the winter, but nothing materialized.
“Being honest with you, I thought that I wasn’t coming back,” Dozier said.