The Los Angeles Dodgers' Opening Day starting pitcher decision likely came down to Julio Urias and Clayton Kershaw. Urias was ultimately given the nod, however, Kershaw will not pitch in the Dodgers' second game of the season either. Instead, Dustin May will follow Urias in the rotation, with Kershaw set to pitch in Los Angeles' third contest of the year, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
Clayton Kershaw wasn't demoted in any manner. Instead, Dave Roberts explained that the Dodgers simply want to split up their left-handed pitchers to open the season.
Plunkett also reports that the Dodgers made their Tony Gonsolin replacement decision between Michael Grove and Ryan Pepiot, but Dave Roberts declined to reveal who won the job.
Examining Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers' pitching rotation
The Dodgers' starting pitching rotation isn't as deep as it once was, but there is still plenty of talent to go around.
Urias was an NL Cy Young finalist in 2022. Clayton Kershaw is a future Hall of Famer who also enjoyed a strong 2022 campaign. Dustin May features All-Star potential, and Noah Syndergaard, who is slotted in as the Dodgers' No. 4 pitcher, is an established veteran.
Clayton Kershaw is going to give the Dodgers a chance to win when he takes the mound. The only question is whether or not he can stay healthy, something he's struggled with over the past few years. He hasn't pitched in more than 22 games since 2019. If Kershaw can make 25-plus starts in 2023, it wouldn't be shocking to see him make a run at the Cy Young award.
For now, he will focus on taking care of business in the Dodgers' third game of the season.
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