Los Angeles @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 12, 2014 ) Arizona 9, LA Dodgers 2

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks did not have many nice things to say about each other last season while battling for the National League West. The teams will attempt to set the animosity aside and represent Major League Baseball in a positive way when they open the season in Australia on Saturday at 7 p.m. local time - 1 a.m. PT. Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke was not shy about his displeasure at the prospect of Australia games earlier in camp and did not make the trip.

Los Angeles’ players have said all the right things since setting down in Sydney, and the Diamondbacks have been nothing but supportive publicly about the idea of an early start to the regular season while promoting the game world wide. On the field, the Dodgers will get an early glimpse at one of the teams keen on knocking them from the top of the division. The Diamondbacks finished 11 games behind Los Angeles in 2013 and were not happy when Los Angeles clinched in Arizona and several players celebrated by taking a dip in the pool beyond the wall in right-center at Chase Field.

TV: 4 a.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsNet (Los Angeles), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (2013: 16-9, 1.83 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (2013: 10-10, 3.55)

Kershaw is the premier pitcher in the game while coming off his second Cy Young Award, and is in possession of a brand new seven-year, $215 million contract that makes him the highest-paid pitcher of all time. The Texas native will begin earning that money against Arizona, which managed six runs - five earned - off Kershaw in 21 1/3 innings spread over three starts last season. Kershaw is just 4-5 against the Diamondbacks in the last three seasons - one of only two teams against which he owns a losing record in that span.

Miley gets the nod for Arizona in place of Patrick Corbin, who is one of several pitchers around the league to deal with elbow issues in spring training. The 27-year-old Miley went over 200 innings for the first time in his career in 2013 and posted a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers. The Louisiana native lowered his ERA by more than a run (4.01 to 2.93) after the All-Star break last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Diamondbacks edged the Dodgers 10-9 in the series last season.

2. Los Angeles LF Carl Crawford did not make the trip because his fiancee is about to give birth.

3. Arizona officially named RHP Addison Reed the closer over veteran RHP J.J. Putz.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 2