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TEMPE -- The Dodgers made a slight change to their starting rotation this week, which lines up a pair of left-handers to potentially pitch in Australia. Dan Haren remains on schedule, starting today against the Angels in Tempe. But after that, things change.
Manager Don Mattingly on Thursday said that Josh Beckett and Paul Maholm will be given an extra day of rest and will pitch in the split squad games on Saturday; Maholm will pitch in Surprise in the day game against the Rangers, and Beckett will pitch at night against the Mariners at Camelback Ranch.
On Friday, Zach Lee will start against the Rangers, making his 2014 Cactus League debut. Mattingly called it more of a bullpen game, with Lee not likely to pitch too deep after suffering through a lat strain.
That also pushes Clayton Kershaw back an extra day to Sunday, pitching on five days rest against the Giants. With Hyun-Jin Ryu lined up for Monday, that lines up Kershaw and Ryu to pitch again in the Cactus League over the final weekend, than remain on schedule to pitch in Australia. The team has yet to make an announcement of their starters for the two-game opening series in Sydney against the Diamondbacks.
Zack Greinke pitched another bullpen session on Thursday morning at Camelback Ranch, continuing to test his right calf. If all goes well, his next step will be pitching to live hitters before a possible simulated game on the back fields.
On the mound in Tempe for the Dodgers after Haren will be Chris Anderson, the club's 2013 first-round pick out of Jacksonville University. He will wear number 94. Javy Guerra and Carlos Frias are also scheduled to pitch, and up from the minor league side are pitchers Sam Demel, Daniel Moskos and Henry Sosa (No. 95).
Yasiel Puig is back in the starting lineup after leaving early on Wednesday night with upper back soreness. Puig is playing center field and batting leadoff in his third straight start.
Scheduled reserves for the Dodgers include Clint Robinson at first base, Dee Gordon at second base, Joc Pederson in center field, Miguel Rojas at third base, Miguel Olivo at catcher and Brendan Harris at shortstop.
Other minor leaguers in uniform for the Dodgers on Thursday include infielder Darnell Sweeney (No. 87) and outfielders Jon Garcia (86), Jeremy Hazelbaker (89) and Scott Schebler (90).
C.J. Wilson starts for the Angels.
The Dodgers will have the new instant replay system available today's game, their first such game of the spring. The team's video coordinator, Jon Pratt, will be the man in the clubhouse available to communicate with Mattingly during the game on potential challenges. The Dodgers will have five games in the Cactus League with instant replay this spring.