Clayton Kershaw hit, stays in game

— -- MESA, Ariz. -- The Los Angeles Dodgers survived a major scare Friday when ace Clayton Kershaw was struck in the face by a line drive in a spring training game against the Oakland Athletics.

Kershaw collapsed on the mound after Andy Parrino's broken-bat liner struck him. The left-hander sat there for a minute or two as Dodgers trainers and manager Don Mattingly rushed out of the dugout, but after working his jaw a few times and consulting with trainer Stan Conte, Kershaw threw a warm-up pitch and remained in the game.

Kershaw said he lost part of a tooth, but was otherwise unharmed. He got through his five scheduled innings, striking out four batters and allowing one run, then threw several more pitches in the bullpen. In his first at-bat of the spring, he also singled to left field off Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray.

"It felt like getting hit with a pitch, nothing serious," Kershaw said. "I don't think I panicked too much. It's just sore."

The lost tooth, which came from the back of his mouth, was recovered on the field.

Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis joked that his first reaction when he saw the ball strike his friend and teammate was that Kershaw's reputation for good fielding might be overblown.

"My first thought was, 'That Gold Glove is a sham,'" Ellis said.

Kershaw said he has seen the protective caps pitchers have been authorized to wear, but has never been tempted to try one.

Dodgers pitcher Brandon McCarthy, who does not wear a protective cap, was seriously injured when he was struck in the head by a line drive in a 2012 game.

"They make you look like Mario from the Nintendo game," Kershaw said.

Kershaw said it was important to him to remain in the game since he has only two more starts left after this one to build up his arm strength for Opening Day.

"That shows you what a competitor he is, coming back in a spring training game," Gray said.

Kershaw is coming off his fourth straight major league ERA title, his third Cy Young Award in four seasons and the first MVP season by a National League pitcher since Bob Gibson in 1968. Mattingly announced two weeks ago that Kershaw would make his fifth straight Opening Day start April 6 against the San Diego Padres.

Earlier Friday, the Dodgers announced that starter Hyun-Jin Ryu has been dealing with a tight left shoulder and is questionable for the start of the season.