PHOENIX -- Outfielder Joc Pederson left the Dodgers’ 11-5 loss to the Brewers after three innings with back spasms Thursday, but manager Dave Roberts said they were minor and Pederson will return to the lineup on Friday.

“He came to me and said his back tightened up a little bit when he was running down the line,” said Roberts. “He said he could have kept going, but I appreciate the honesty.”

Pederson has had a difficult spring offensively, batting .167 with 16 strikeouts in 42 at-bats, but he also has three home runs. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout on Thursday.

Roberts still mum on opener

After the game, Roberts said Hyun-Jin Ryu and Rich Hill will start the first two games of the season but he still wouldn’t say who inherits the Opening Day start from the injured Clayton Kershaw. Earlier in the day, Roberts said Kenta Maeda would also pitch in the Arizona series. That leaves Ross Stripling and Walker Buehler, with one facing Arizona and the other facing San Francisco.

“We’re going to still dig into matchups and stuff like that,” Roberts said, explaining why he won’t announce an Opening Day starter one week from Opening Day.

A week ago, Ryu was juggled into the spot one day ahead of Hill, and Roberts acknowledged that’s the way it’s currently lined up. That would give him one full week between starts.

“Right now, he’s lined up to potentially [start Opening Day], but we could move him,” said Roberts. “Is it a possibility? Yes. I haven’t told him anything. He’s [game] one or [game] two. He has the ability to go on regular, extra day, extra two days. He gives us optionality. He can adjust.”

Ryu pitched five-plus innings against the Brewers, allowing four runs (three earned) with three strikeouts and no walks.

“Just to build him up, I thought he was sharp and very productive,” said Roberts. “His stuff, his command from the beginning, has been very good. If you look at how you put it out there, he’s kind of been the blueprint for this spring.”

Bullpen decisions ahead
What promises to be a tougher decision than the Opening Day starter is who will fill the Dodgers bullpen, which had a bad day Thursday. Pedro Baez, Caleb Ferguson and Dylan Floro followed Ryu and allowed runs.

Both runs off Baez were unearned on a Cody Asche error. Ferguson allowed a three-run homer to Tyler Saladino and Floro was charged with three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Ferguson’s ERA is 9.39, Floro’s is 5.40.

Justin Turner slugged a three-run homer for the Dodgers.

Notable
• Corey Seager had “normal body soreness” after his first Cactus League game, Roberts said, but will be back in the lineup on Friday.

• Roberts estimated that Austin Barnes would catch three of every five games, with Russell Martin catching the other two.

“The spring actually cemented the fact they’re interchangeable,” said Roberts. “The pitchers’ openness and rapport with both guys -- it’s made it a lot easier for me.”

• Former Dodger Andre Ethier was a clubhouse visitor on Thursday, picking up his 2017 National League championship ring.

Up next
Tony Gonsolin starts for the Dodgers on Friday at 1:05 p.m. PT against Arizona and Matt Koch at Camelback Ranch. Also scheduled to pitch for the Dodgers are Kevin Quackenbush and Dennis Santana.