Clayton Kershaw to make fifth straight opening-day start for Dodgers

Reporting from PHOENIX — Clayton Kershaw is expected to be the Dodgers’ opening-day starter for the fifth consecutive season, Manager Don Mattingly said Monday.

“That’s our plan,” Mattingly said.

The Dodgers will open the regular season April 6 at Dodger Stadium against the San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers have won all four of Kershaw’s opening-day starts. Kershaw received the decision in three of those games, the exception coming in 2012, when illness forced him out of a game in San Diego after three innings.

Kershaw has allowed only one run in 25 2/3 innings on opening day, which translates to a 0.35 earned-run average.

Kershaw opened the season last year in Australia, where he held the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run in 6 2/3 innings. Kershaw strained a back muscle in that game and was sidelined for the entire month of April.