LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers went off to Summer Camp on Friday, officially resuming a season like no other with staggered workouts at Dodger Stadium to prepare for a July 23 or July 24 Opening Day while exercising social distancing during drills.

Manager Dave Roberts said there is “a group of guys” not available to start camp “for various reasons,” but he wouldn’t provide names or the reasons they are unavailable.

Major League Baseball has instituted a COVID-19 list this season, although the league will not announce which players are placed on it due to privacy laws regarding individuals’ health. Players may address their status if they wish, though they are not required to. Players do not need to test positive to be placed on the COVID-19 list. Potential exposure to a person who has the virus can be sufficient cause.

Roberts said intrasquad games will begin early next week. While Friday was the first official team workout, most clubs, including the Dodgers, have been working out in smaller groups for several weeks, trying to offset the risks of an accelerated camp.

As a result, Roberts said that pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Ross Stripling and Alex Wood have already thrown three-plus-inning games, an indication that at least some Dodgers starters will be built up to pitch deeper into games when the season opens.

Kershaw said he will throw five innings on Monday and has three more “starts” to get ready for what he assumes will be a re-Opening Day start, having been named the Opening Day starter during Spring Training.

“I’ll be built up to about 100 pitches by then,” he said. “I’m probably like towards the middle of March to where I should be [in a normal Spring Training]. I feel good with it, honestly, I really do.”

Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, acknowledging the health challenges, said resuming the season “is worth taking the shot, assuming you can do that with the maximum amount of safety.” Kasten said he was confident players would be responsible in their behavior, guided by an exhaustive protocol document, “because they also know what’s at stake.”

“I think we’re going to be OK,” he said. “It’s complicated. It’s tricky. But it’s a problem far beyond just the players.”

Kershaw brought his family to Los Angeles from Dallas after deciding to play, conceding the whole situation is “a little unnerving.”

“There’s a trust factor there with Major League Baseball, the players union, my teammates -- everybody here has to take accountability for being as safe as possible, and I have trust in that, that we’re doing everything possible,” he said.

“And at the end of the day, I wanted to play. That’s one of the biggest driving factors. If MLB and the players union feels it’s safe for us to be here, then I feel it’s OK to give it a shot. Guys that do opt out, I get that; we’re going to support that as a team.”

Kershaw also said he believes his teammates understand the onus is on them to be safe, especially away from the ballpark.

“If you want to see this season through, if you want to play and you want to give it the best shot, you can’t be stupid,” he said.

Kershaw said while a championship in a 60-game season isn’t the same as a 162-game season, it’s still a championship.

“It’s not going to be like anything else we’ve done, but at the same time, we’re all going through it,” he said. “It’s going to be different, but to say there’s an asterisk on it, I don’t think it’s fair. At the end of the day, if you win this season, it’s going to feel good no matter what.”

Kasten remained guarded about the likelihood of playing games with fans in the stands, especially in Los Angeles, where the pandemic has flared anew and restrictions on entertainment facilities this week were tightened.

Kasten spoke after MLB canceled the 2020 All-Star Game, which was scheduled for Dodger Stadium, which will now host the 2022 All-Star Game.

Roberts said Friday’s workout was structured with three groups of pitchers, six to eight in a group, and two groups of five to six position players. Saturday’s workout will be shorter than Friday. As a safety measure, the home and visiting clubhouses were used, with generous spacing between lockers, while dining and weightlifting were moved outdoors.

Kasten said the fan noise that has been piped into the stadium during workouts is expected to continue when games start because it improves the viewing ambiance on television.

“I think it’s better than silence,” said Kershaw.