LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers will start Hyun-Jin Ryu in their domestic regular season opener on Sunday night against the Padres at Petco Park. The southpaw cracked his right big toenail while running the bases on Sunday in Sydney (Saturday night in Los Angeles), but has been cleared by the team medical staff to return to the mound.
Ryu threw 30 pitches in a bullpen session before Friday's game and took batting practice, and said his toe felt fine.
"Without something crazy happening, Hyun-jin is going on Sunday," manager Don Mattingly said after Saturday's game. "His pen went well, he was able to do basically everything."
That pushes Dan Haren to start Wednesday, the series finale in San Diego. Haren, who last pitched in a minor league game on Monday, will start Saturday's game against the Angels, but will only pitch an inning or possibly two.
Haren will be followed on the mound by Matt Magill and a gaggle of minor league pitchers, with most of the major league bullpen getting the day off with Sunday's regular season game looming. The only member of the major league pen who might pitch is Brandon League, who is healthy.
"When we were in Australia he threw the ball really well from the reports I was getting," Mattingly said. "We're happy with where he's at."
The Padres will counter with Andrew Cashner in their regular season opener, followed by Ian Kennedy and Tyson Ross.