Kershaw will pitch in

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will be ready wherever and whenever his manager wants. With the Dodgers playing their opening series against Arizona in Australia March 22-23, there is a chance he can start three of the N.L. West champions’ first six games. “I’ll pitch when they tell me to,” Kershaw said Sunday. “I’ll be ready.” The two-time Cy Young Award winner could start March 22 in Sydney, March 30 in San Diego and the Dodgers’ April 4 home opener. The Dodgers have yet to announce their rotation, and manager Don Mattingly said how many times Kershaw pitches early depends on the makeup of the starting five. Kershaw arrived at camp with a record-breaking contract. In January, he signed a seven-year deal worth $215 million. – AP