Kershaw shines with four blank tickets

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, USA — The Los Angeles Dodgers have so many stars this season that Clayton Kershaw is just one of them.

But there’s no question that the three-time NL Cy Young winner remains an extremely important piece on one of the best teams in MLB.

Kershaw pitched four scoreless innings Monday against the Diamondbacks in the Cactus League, facing a minimum of 12 batters. He gave up a single to Carson Kelly early on before forcing a double-play groundout and retiring 11 straight batters.

“I think my control of the fastball was much better overall today,” Kershaw said. “If I can get ahead of hitters it’s good. But overall a good step forward.”

Much has been made of the Dodgers’ powerful lineup, and there are reasons for it. They pulled off one of the biggest free-agent acquisitions by signing first baseman Freddie Freeman, who joined a batting order that includes Justin Turner, Trea Turner, Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Will Smith and Max Muncy.

But the Dodgers look a little more vulnerable on the mound. They have three stars at the top of the rotation in Kershaw, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias, but they’ll have to use different pitchers in the final spots, including Andrew Heaney and Tony Gonsolin.

Kershaw signed a one-year, $17 million deal with the franchise he’s been with his entire career. The eight-time All-Star may not be the same pitcher he was from 2011-2014 when he won the Cy Young four years in a row, but he’s still effective.

The left-hander went 10-8 last season, posting a 3.55 ERA in 22 games as a starter.

Buehler will start on opening day in place of Kershaw.