Spring Training Preview: Brandon McCarthy Gets Start Vs Rangers

After the a pair of home runs helped the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday afternoon, the team has split-squad action Sunday. Part of the roster traveled to Scottsdale to face the San Francisco Giants while the remaining players stayed at Camelback Ranch and took on the Texas Rangers.
The Dodgers will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound against the Rangers. This will mark McCarthy’s fourth start with the Major League team of the spring. He struggled in his last outing and allowed six earned runs in four innings. Afterwards, McCarthy started a Minor League game to work on his pitches.
Starting opposite McCarthy will be Nick Tepesch, who last faced the Dodgers March 17. Tepesch pitched for four innings while the Dodgers scored three runs on him. The game ended in an 11-11 tie. After going 5-11 with a 4.36 ERA in 2015, Tepesch is battling for a starting rotation job with the Rangers.
Juan Uribe was originally scheduled to start but was late scratch as a result of illness. Buck Britton will begin play at third base instead. In 19 at-bats, Britton is hitting .316/.350/.474 with one home run and three RBI. The home run occurred when the Dodgers and Rangers met last weekend during Big League Weekend.
The rest of the assumed Opening Day infield stays intact against the Rangers. New double play duo Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick man shortstop and second base while Adrian Gonzalez starts at first.
Sunday’s game will be the fourth time the Dodgers play the Rangers this spring. The two teams will meet again for four games in the middle of June.
Dodgers Lineup
SS: Jimmy Rollins
CF: Chris Heisey
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Howie Kendrick
RF: Scott Van Slyke
LF: Carl Crawford
3B: Buck Britton
C: A.J. Ellis
P: Brandon McCarthy
Rangers Lineup
CF: Leonys Martin
RF: Shin-Soo Choo
3B: Adrian Beltre
1B: Prince Fielder
LF: Ryan Rua
DH: Mitch Moreland
SS: Elvis Andrus
C: Carlos Corporan
2B: Rougned Odor
P: Nick Tepesch
Dodgers 2015 Spring Training – Brandon McCarthy