LOS ANGELES (AP) — ons he was given for not starting Game 1 of the National League Division Series.Whether the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner agrees with them may be altogether different.The Los Angeles Dodgers chose to go with Hyun-Jin Ryu in their series opener against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday. Kershaw is set to pitch Game 2 on Friday.“I wouldn’t really consider it a gut punch Rod Carew Jersey ,” Kershaw said Thursday in his first public comments on the topic.Manager Dave Roberts says he and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt delivered the news via conference call to Kershaw, who has started eight of the Dodgers’ past 10 postseason Game 1s.If Kershaw is miffed, he’s keeping it to himself. Roberts says the vibe between the two of them is “great.” Kershaw can opt out of the final two years of his contract after the World Series.“Obviously, it’s a huge sacrifice for him,” Roberts said. “But to not let it influence his mind or psyche, that doesn’t surprise me.”Calling Kershaw “this generation’s best pitcher,” Roberts reiterated the decision to go with Ryu was that it allows both pitchers to have five days’ rest between starts. If Kershaw had gone first, he would be on four days’ rest, while Ryu would be on six days’ rest for Game 2.“This year I’ve pitched with an extra day a lot more than in years past,” Kershaw said. “I mean, not necessarily by choice, not that I wanted to do it. We have more off days now during the season, so it kind of worked out that way. But I think I probably would have been fine either way.”Kershaw said he asked Roberts why he wasn’t starting and received an answer. However, he declined to share it.“It wasn’t really an agree or disagree type thing Brian Dozier Jersey , I guess,” he said. “They had their reasons, and I accepted them.”Ryu has posted a better ERA (2.81) in his three career postseason games than Kershaw (4.35) in his 24 playoff games.The South Korean was 7-3 with a 1.97 ERA in the regular season. Fellow lefty Kershaw was 9-5 with a 2.73 ERA and a team-high 155 strikeouts.Ryu had an edge over the final month of the season, posting a 1.88 ERA after overcoming a groin injury. Kershaw had a 3.89 ERA in September.“Hyun-Jin has had a great season and he’s pitched really well for us,” Kershaw said.At 30, Kershaw hasn’t shown the same zip with his fastball this season and he’s been on the disabled list for three consecutive seasons with back issues.“I don’t really need to prove myself to anybody,” Kershaw said. “I want my teammates to want me out there. I think that’s the biggest thing.”If the series goes to a deciding fifth game, Roberts would again have to decide between Ryu and the ace that has been the face of the franchise for years.“It would be one or two of us,” Kershaw said, smiling. “We’ll see.” SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have many jobs up for grabs, and nowhere is the competition less defined than in the infield.As the team held its first full-squad workout on Monday, only one infield position is secured — first base. Chris Davis is entering the fourth year of a seven-year, $161 million contract.Besides Davis Justin Morneau Jersey , there are 13 players on the roster competing for the three starting positions, and a utility job or two.Davis, like the Orioles, had a horrid 2018 season. He hit just .168 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs and 192 strikeouts in 128 games as Baltimore lost a franchise-record 115 games.There aren’t any clear favorites early on.The Orioles obtained Jonathan Villar in their July remake from Milwaukee and he played both second and shortstop over the season’s last two months. Villar was originally labeled as a shortstop by new general manager Mike Elias, but that was before Richie Martin was taken with the first overall pick in the Rule 5 draft.On Saturday, the Orioles signed veteran Alcides Escobar to a minor league deal. Escobar, who played 162 games in 2014, 2016 and 2017 for Kansas City, won the Gold Glove at shortstop in 2015. He’s not scheduled to report until Tuesday.Manager Brandon Hyde is pleased with the addition of Escobar.“I think it just creates the competition going in camp,” Hyde said. “Excited about the mix of middle infielders we have. It’s just a guy that’s been there that has nine-plus years playing defense in the middle of the field at the big league level. To add competition is always a good thing.”Baltimore has another Rule 5 pick in camp, Drew Jackson, who was from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, and selected by Philadelphia. The Orioles immediately traded with the Phillies for Jackson.“We’re just all out here trying to win a job,” Martin said. “Whoever plays the best — simple as that — wins a job.”It’s no small group competing.The incumbent third baseman is Renato Nunez http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-max-kepler-jersey , who was added to the team last July after shortstop Manny Machado was traded to the Dodgers.Nunez hit .275 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 60 games in the second half of the season. In his first major league acquisition, Elias claimed left-handed hitter Rio Ruiz on waivers to compete with Nunez at third base.Elias also claimed Hanser Alberto on waivers from Texas, and he inherited Steve Wilkerson, who can play multiple positions. Wilkerson jokingly said he brought 10 gloves to spring training, and he’ll likely compete for a utility job.“I get my work in at every position almost every day,” Wilkerson said. “I work on the abnormal plays and the web gems. One of my favorite things to do is dive for a ball and work on making a play that might get me on TV or something.”Non-roster infield candidates are Jace Peterson, who played 93 games at seven positions, including an inning on the mound, Chris Bostick, Jack Reinheimer and Zach Vincej, all of whom played in the majors last season.Rookie Ryan Mountcastle, who’s one of the team’s most highly touted prospects is also in camp. Mountcastle played third base for Double-A Bowie a year ago, and he’s not considered a candidate for a major league job yet.