APRIL 15: As expected, Kershaw is now back on the active roster. The club optioned righty Jaime Schultz to open roster space.
APRIL 11: Clayton Kershaw will come off the injured list to make his season debut on Monday when the Dodgers host the Reds, manager Dave Roberts revealed to reporters Thursday morning (Twitter link via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register).
Kershaw landed on the IL to begin the season due to a bout of shoulder inflammation that slowed his progress during Spring Training. He’s made a pair of minor league rehab starts since Opening Day — one with Triple-A Oklahoma City and a second with Double-A Tulsa — working six innings and tossing 81 pitches in the latter of the two. In total, Kershaw yielded four runs on nine hits and a pair of walks with a dozen strikeouts in 10 1/3 rehab innings.
Since it became apparent that Kershaw would require an IL stint to begin the season, the Dodgers have also lost both Rich Hill (knee strain) and Hyun-Jin Ryu (groin strain) to injuries. Those maladies pushed lauded southpaw Julio Urias into the rotation to begin the year after he’d been slated to open the 2019 campaign in the bullpen to manage his workload. He’s been limited to about 75 pitches in each of his two starts so far.
It’s not clear exactly how the Dodgers’ rotation will shake out in the coming weeks as both Hill and Ryu mend; Walker Buehler, Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling figure to join Kershaw in the starting five for now, and it’s possible that Urias will make another start or two until one of Hill or Ryu is able to step back into the fray. At some point, Urias will have to shift to the ’pen, given that he only pitched a total of 22 innings between the Majors (postseason and regular season) and minors last year in his return campaign from major shoulder surgery in 2017.
I know he got bombed on his first start what happened on the second start?
1st Start (AAA)
4 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 6 K, 2 BB
2nd Start (AA)
6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 6 K, 0 BB
So he got bombed again by 19 year olds
The year: 2034
Dodgers are still trying to manage Julio Urias’ workload
Hahaha. So true.
Huh huh, you said “load.”
Huh urias is a one-eyed monster…trying to manage his load
Give the Dodgers a different manager and they win it all. Calling Joe Girardi…
Yawn. Every player on the team like Dave and he has built a culture they have never had this cuentry. But sure lets can him because sometimes he is a little clumsy with the bullpen
Exasperated, with the talent they have, and had someone like Girardi would get them over the line. Oh and that culture seems to breed a lot of frustration from the players.
Really because Girardis team was up 3-2 in the ALCS and lost. He really took then over the top.
Really because Girardi won a World Series in 2009, better to be 1-0 than 0-2.
Cool its all on the mamager. Must have helped to have signed Tex, CC and Burnette before that season. Yeah lets fire Dave who got an extension and bring in an old school guy. You sound ridiculous
You sound like a cheated bridesmaid, and not the maid of honor. Please don’t go there on spending for FA’s to get over the top, because evidently one team can, and one team can’t.
I dont care about the money. This fawning over Giradi as the magical key to a title is comical.. He was literally fired for not winning a series they were up 3-2 in. But sure hire him and its a lock for the title
You’re awfully greedy for a fan of a team that’s just won back-to-back Pennants. Just because he hasn’t yet given you a Championship shouldn’t negate all the success he has provided you.
I dont know. It feel pretty terrible if my team won back to back pennants and choked both times in the WS. Especially with the level of talent on that large payroll. I’d probably be calling for change as well.
Dodgers did not choke against the Red Sox. That team was just better. Several poor decisions in the Astro series sunk the Dodgers.
I heard that he was going to be fired either way, even if they did get #28.
“A little clumsy with the bullpen?” Dave should not be allowed to even speak to Dodger pitchers. Hard to believe that one person could be so bad at this one aspect of the game.
Other than that, I understand he is a very positive force and, of course, should not be replaced. Just stay away from the pitching staff, please!
Leave Girardi alone he is headed to Chicago after Joe Maddon is ran out of town.
Exactly what would Girardi bring?
I agree with the manager change. Roberts can coach first or third base.
Wait, the guy with the profile name of FireDaveRoberts agrees with the Dodger Manager change? Get out of here.
He does have one hell of a roster but he has also brought success to the Dodgers.
Two World Series appearances in a row isn’t good enough for you? The last time the Dodgers made it to the World Series without Dave Roberts was 1988. I’m glad you’re not my boss.
The point is to win and not just finish. F*#*ing Millennials
I couldn’t have said it better. Every single off season there should be 29 managers looking for work. If you don’t win the WS, your season was obviously an abject failure and you should be handed your walking papers the night the World Series ends.
“He missed 3 starts in April so his contract is a disaster”
Free Verdugo!
2019 off season- Dodgers need rotation help. That rotation has injury concerns.
Dodger fans- na we good fam. Go blue
2019 season- dodger pitching staff dealing with injuries.
Dodger fans- wHy WaSnT tHiS aDdReSeD?!?!?!
Dodgers rotation is fine lol
I don’t know any Dodger fans who thought or think we need even more starting depth. Thanks anyway for pretending that’s what we are saying.
Padres luck will run out soon enough. We’re talking 5 games under .500 by September.
All they have to do is arrange to play SF and AZ 4/5 series for the rest of the season.
Two s’s in addressed. Good comment and true, however.
@VinScullysSon this Dodgers fan has always thought we needed better rotation pitching and definitely better middle relief. Case in point the recent debacle in St Louis. Yeah its still early.
I love the over reaction. Dodgers SP are still top 10 and if/when healthy, probably top5. However….. that bullpen is a joke. Was a joke last year and will be a joke next year. The front office thinks it can surround Jansen with waiver wire claims and be productive.
Joe Kelly is a joke. Dodgers do not have 1 reliable RP NOT named Kenley Jansen.
As a Dodgers fan, I have to agree with bullpen and the front office. Kelly had a great month or two last year. He’s got the World Series hangover with the rest of the Sox.
I should be clear to everyone by now that Friedman’s approach to constructing a bullpen is badly flawed. Those who don’t get that or have some sort of religious aversion to getting it will continue to blame Roberts for playing the relievers Friedman gave him to play.
Roberts doesn’t know how to manage the pitching staff whether its the BP or SP. Pulls the starters too soon and leaves the BP in too long.
More silliness. Roberts is running the show exactly the way Friedman wants it run. Time for the buck to stop with the guy who is actually in charge of this team, and it isn’t Dave Roberts.
Doc showed his pitching management deficit with starting Yu Darvish in Game 7 of the 2017 WS…….after his horrible show in his first 2017 WS start where the ASTROS stole his pitches!!!
Let’s assume for the moment that everything you say is completely true. Now ask yourself, who does Roberts work for? Isn’t it the same guy who just gave him a big contract extension? I sure would like to be Andy Friedman. The man skates and still a lot of fans give him a gold-plated pass.
Geez! Did Friedman bully you in middle school? Year after year, Friedman bashing! No useful suggestions, just Friedman sucks. Give it a rest!
Here we go.
The most concerning thing with Kershaw right now is his fastball velocity. 88-90 mph during final rehab start. He will depend on slider and occasional curve. Is that enough to be effective?
He needs to develop another pitch, maybe work on the change he now uses very infrequently, or some other pitch that mixes up his approach. Kershaw seems like a pretty stubborn guy but eventually I hope he gets the message that as a starting pitcher it’s pretty difficult to ride out on the horse that brought you if you expect to have a 15+ year career in baseball. Maybe he should spend more time talking to Rich Hill about that little thing.
Nice. Just in time for the woeful Reds. Not sure facing them will tell them much, Probably better competition at Triple A, unless you’re just trying to get him some confidence.
Turn it over to the bullpen, I’m sure if they try real hrad they can get to .500.