The Los Angeles Dodgers once again are facing the prospect of not having enough starting pitching heading into the playoffs, with Clayton Kershaw among those currently on the injured list.
He made just seven starts after returning from offseason left shoulder surgery and now is back on the IL because of a bone spur causing inflammation in his left big toe. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed after Kershaw’s start against the Arizona Diamondbacks that he’s dealt with a bone spur for multiple years.
Kershaw started wearing a walking boot to help alleviate pressure on his toe but otherwise managed to keep playing catch.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said future surgery is not on the table for Kershaw, and the goal is getting him to a point of being able to get through a start, via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic:
Kershaw has continued playing catch, and Friedman said he doesn’t anticipate Kershaw needing offseason surgery to address an issue that Roberts said has plagued him for years.
“Just figuring out how to provide enough relief to push off, because using his lower half is really important,” Friedman said. “We need to figure out for him to throw 80-90 pitches in a comfortable enough way.”
Kershaw made just seven starts this year before going back on the injured list. His last outing was only one-plus inning because of the toe injury. After the game he noted having trouble with pushing off the mound with his left foot when going to deliver a pitch.
Kershaw is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA this season. If Kershaw’s ERA finishes above 3.00, it would be just the fourth time in his career that’s been the case. If Kershaw’s ERA checks in above 4.00, it would be the first time since his rookie season with the Dodgers.
Clayton Kershaw & more Dodgers injuries
At the time of Kershaw’s injury, the Dodgers notably were without Tyler Glasnow as well. The group has grown to include Gavin Stone, who was put on the 15-day injured list Friday because of right shoulder inflammation.
The Dodgers are hopeful Kershaw and Glasnow return this season, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto is scheduled to be activated off the 60-day injured list on Tuesday.
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