Dodgers will open season with Kershaw on mound

By foxsports
Published

GLENDALE, Arizona (AP) Clayton Kershaw has been chosen to pitch on opening day for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the sixth straight year.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Sunday that Kershaw is his choice for the April 4 opener against the Angels, saying, ''we've checked that box.''

Kershaw was 16-7 last season with a 2.13 earned run average and 301 strikeouts - the first pitcher to reach 300 strikeouts since 2002.

A sixth opening-day start ties him for third with Fernando Valenzuela in Dodgers history. Don Sutton and Don Drysdale each have seven.