Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw left Thursday afternoon’s begin in opposition to the San Francisco Giants with again soreness, the team announced. Kershaw allowed two runs in 4 innings, then exited after throwing a number of warmup pitches earlier than the fifth.
NBC Sports activities Bay Space appeared to catch Kershaw telling the coach, “it is my again,” as he walked off the sphere. Right here is the video:
Kershaw, 34, has a historical past of again issues. He missed 41 days with again irritation in 2014, 74 days with a herniated disc in 2016 and 39 days with a again pressure in 2017. Kershaw additionally spent transient stints on the disabled listing with again in 2018 and 2020. Final season, a flexor harm value him a lot of the second half and the postseason, and he missed time with a hip harm earlier this yr.
The Dodgers did not add a beginning pitcher on the commerce deadline and truly traded a rotation depth piece in Mitch White. He began 10 video games earlier this season and 4 final season and was assigned to the Toronto Blue Jays. The membership rotation depth chart at the moment appears to be like one thing like this:
- RHP Walker Buehler (lacking June 10 with forearm harm, might return in September)
- LHP Clayton Kershaw (out of Thursday’s begin with harm)
- LHP Julio Urias
- RHP Tony Gonsolin (23 innings 1/three shy of his earlier profession excessive)
- LHP Tyler Anderson
- LHP Andrew Heaney (wholesome now, however restricted to 5 begins attributable to shoulder points up to now this yr)
- RHP Ryan Pepiot (9 innings and a pair of/three shy of his earlier profession excessive)
Shedding Kershaw for a time period could be a major blow, though Los Angeles entered Thursday with a snug 11 1/2 recreation lead within the NL West, in order that they gave themselves a cushion. Given his historical past of again points, count on the Dodgers to be conservative with Kershaw’s restoration and rehab work to keep away from a setback.
Nothing is a given but, however the large division lead provides the Dodgers some respiratory room. Their precedence is ensuring the rotation is in high form by October, not chasing each win in August and September. They’re going to do what they should do to get by way of the subsequent two months of video games with out overtaxing their starters within the postseason, even when Kershaw is out.
Coming into Thursday, Kershaw owned a 2.66 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 14 begins and 81 1/three innings this yr. He was an All-Star for the ninth time. Kershaw signed a one-year, $17 million deal final offseason and appears to be going year-to-year at this level in his profession.