Dodgers notes: Starting rotation shuffle, Andre Ethier still out

SURPRISE -- The Dodgers decided to break up the left-handed pitchers at the top of the starting rotation, pushing Rich Hill’s next start to Tuesday against the Reds at Camelback Ranch.

Right-hander Kenta Maeda slots in on Monday against the Angels in Tempe, one day after Clayton Kershaw. That sets the Dodgers up to open the regular season with Kershaw, Maeda, then Hill in that order, manager Dave Roberts said on Sunday.

Maeda and Hill each have four spring training starts remaining, while Kershaw has three, after allowing one run on two hits in four innings — his first run and hit(s) allowed this spring — in Sunday’s 5-4 win over the Royals.

The Dodgers open the regular season on Monday, April 3 against the Padres, the start of a four-game series at Dodger Stadium.

Ethier still out

Andre Ethier is still out for the Dodgers, dealing with both hip tightness and back tightness that Roberts said were related. Ethier has been hitting during workouts but hasn’t been running or fielding.

Ethier last played on Monday, leaving that game early after feeling something in his back.

"Dre's going to take a few days away from baseball activities, and slowly get him back in there,” Roberts said. “We want to keep slow-playing it until he feels really good.”