The Los Angeles Dodgers break camp Saturday after facing the Cleveland Indians and will conclude their Spring Training schedule with the annual exhibition Freeway Series. It begins Sunday night at Angel Stadium, then shifts to Dodger Stadium the following day for the final two games.
As the exhibition slate winds to a close, the Dodgers are down to deciding on a final bench spot and relief pitcher for their Opening Day roster. The bullpen decision is intertwined with the rotation, as Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and David Price remain under consideration to be the fifth starter.
Price will conclude his spring with back-to-back starts after opening it with consecutive relief appearances. Although it would appear likely the veteran left-hander is part of the dodgers’ bullpen come Opening Day, manager Dave Roberts has yet to commit to as much.
That also applies to Gonsolin, who is scheduled to piggyback Price in the Freeway Series opener. It will amount to a fourth relief appearance in five Spring Training games this year.
Meanwhile, Roberts effectively confirmed Julio Urias is going to be in the Opening Day rotation when he said the only decision left to be made was between Gonsolin, May and Price for the final spot.
Urias’ final spring tuneup will come Monday at Dodger Stadium. His regular season debut will then come in the series finale against the Colorado Rockies.
The Dodgers will face Andrew Heaney in the Freeway Series opener in Anaheim, and also see Griffin Canning that night. Shohei Ohtanai will take the mound at Dodger Stadium, but a decision has not yet been made if he will also bat.
The Angels will conclude the exhibition slate with Jose Quintana starting. They intend to begin the season with a six-man rotation.
Quintana will be opposed by May in another outing that comes on normal rest. The team has kept him on a five-day routine for each of his past three starts, and May believes that’s been key to his success.
Freeway Series pitching probables
Sunday: David Price vs. Andrew Heaney
Monday: Julio Urias vs. Shohei Ohtani
Tuesday: TBD vs. Jose Quintana
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