Dodgers Briefing: Kenley Jansen returns as Chico makes a cameo

3. Clayton Kershaw looks ready for the season to begin

The Dodgers are putting Ace Clayton Kershaw on schedule to start the opener in less than two weeks. While their opponent, the Giants, are easing their starters into the season by keeping their pitch counts around 40, Los Angeles is quickly building up Kershaw’s workload. After throwing 73 pitches in his last start, Kershaw reached 91 pitches last night.

Looking good: Kershaw struck out eight batters while allowing three earned runs and spreading eight hits through 5.1 innings on Sunday. His offspeed stuff was falling into the strike zone. He looks ready to go, already.

4. Edwin Rios continues to rake

Look out for this man on the Dodger bench this season. Edwin Rios hit his third home run of the week last night.

Pinch-hitting role: With the designated hitter, the Dodgers will likely carry 14 position players to start the season (they are allowed to carry 30 players, in total, for the first two weeks). Rios should be cementing himself as a left-handed pinch-hitter who can change the course of a game with his power swing. Last season, he came off the bench to hit two pinch-hit home runs in 14 at-bats.

5. Max Muncy is slowly recovering from a finger injury

The new batter’s eye at Dodger Stadium took an early casualty in Max Muncy. The first baseman had trouble picking up an inside pitch and got hit on his left ring finger last week. He has been working on his swing, but he still can’t grip a baseball comfortably. However, manager Dave Roberts seems confident Muncy will be ready for the opener.

6. Joc Pederson has been working to improve flexibility

If Joc Pederson has looked a little more fleet of foot in the intra-squad games, it’s because he worked with a “movement coach” during the shutdown period at the recommendation of teammate Austin Barnes, per MLB.com.

Improving his body: The movement coach is supposed to help Pederson improve his flexibility and prevent injury. It also seems to have helped his dance moves.

Speed on the basepaths: Joc Pederson is not known for stealing bases – he stole one last season and has a total of 6 steals in the last three years – but perhaps he is looking to add to his game. The left-hander has stolen two bases during the intra-squad games.

7. Ross Stripling makes case for fifth spot

Ross Stripling thought he was going to get an opportunity to join a major league rotation with the Angels this season, but the trade that would have sent him to Anaheim fell through. Feeling frustrated that he wasn’t given a “fair” shot to make the starting five with the Dodgers, he suddenly has a new chance with teammate David Price opting out of the season.

Strong performance on Sunday: Stripling started against Kershaw in the intra-squad game on Sunday. And Chicken Strip was dealt the tougher hand, having to face off against a lineup that included Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger. While he struggled a bit early, he got into a good rhythm over the final few frames. He finished with 7 strikeouts in nearly six innings of work.

8. Dodgers notes from summer camp

A few more tidbits before we let you go.

Dodgers release several minor leaguers: Baseball America does a wonderful job tracking minor league roster movements that aren’t always broadly reported. The team has released several minor leaguers since transactions are allowed again.

What’s Dan Opperman been up to? Older Dodger fans might remember Dan Opperman, who was the 8th overall pick by the Dodgers in 1987. Injuries curtailed his career before he reached the majors. There’s a good profile on him in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He is now the Chief legal officer of the New Mexico Finance Authority.

Clayton Beeter couldn’t pass up current opportunity: The Dodgers were able to sign 2020 MLB draft pick Clayton Beeter and add him to their 60-man player pool. The former Texas Tech right-hander said he weighed returning to college, but couldn’t pass up the unique chance to possibly crack a major league roster this season.

“Honestly, I was mixed the whole time,” he said of his contract negotiations (via the Amarillo Globe-News). “Obviously, I love Tech. And I would have been glad to go back, play there another year and keep developing. But, eventually, got a good situation to come into out here (Los Angeles). Decided the best thing for me was to start my pro career right now.”

That does it for today. Please check back tomorrow for the next Dodgers Briefing!