Dodgers will start Tony Gonsolin, Julio Urías after Walker Buehler

The Dodgers on Thursday announced their starting rotation for the rest of the weekend series against the Rockies, and it won’t include Clayton Kershaw. After Walker Buehler makes his first career opening day start on Friday at Coors Field, the Dodgers will start Tony Gonsolin on Saturday and Julio Urías on Sunday.

Manager Dave Roberts was hesitant during the Freeway Series to reveal his rotation plans other than the already-announced Buehler and opening day and that Andrew Heaney would start one of the games next week in Minnesota. Roberts said the hesitancy wasn’t health-related.

“It’s more matchup-based, and just kind of looking at the Rockies series and out beyond that,” Roberts said on Monday.

In reality, no matter who starts in the early going, there will be a lot of pitchers used to get through games, especially the first 27 or so innings in Colorado. No Dodgers starter recorded more than 15 outs in a game, real or simulated, during spring training.

Buehler on Friday and Gonsolin on Saturday will start on four days of rest. Urías on Sunday will be on five days of rest. Tyler Anderson, who pitched four or five innings in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Monday, will be available in long relief when needed, as will Mitch White, who was one of 16 pitchers included on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster.

The Dodgers are off Monday, then play two games against the Twins in Minnesota to finish off the road trip. Presumably, Kershaw and Heaney will start those games in some order, leaving Thursday night’s home opener for Buehler, who would be pitching on five days rest in that game.

But a week seems like an eternity from now at the moment. Let’s see how the Dodgers get through the weekend at Coors Field first.