The Dodgers are placing Clayton Kershaw on the 15-day injured list due to right SI joint inflammation, the club informed reporters (including J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group). The team doesn’t anticipate it being a long-term absence. Reliever Garrett Cleavinger has been recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
The SI joint is in the hip/pelvis area, so Kershaw is fortunately not dealing with any arm concerns. He missed most of the second half of last season due to forearm/elbow issues, so this latest injury would seem to register as a much more minor issue. Walker Buehler will take the ball tonight against the Phillies in Kershaw’s stead.
Kershaw turned 34 years old last month, but despite his age and last season’s injuries, the three-time Cy Young award winner has again been dominant. After signing a one-year, $17MM deal to return to L.A. during Spring Training, Kershaw has tossed 30 innings across his first five starts. He owns a 1.80 ERA with a stellar 29.4% strikeout rate. Owner of perhaps the game’s best command, the eight-time All-Star has only walked three of the 109 batters he’s faced.
Andrew Heaney is also on the injured list, leaving the Dodgers with a four-man group of Buehler, Julio Urías, Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson in the starting staff for now. David Price has been out of action since late April due to COVID-19, but he’s begun throwing and could return to the club next week (link via Sarah Wexler of MLB.com). Price, however, has worked exclusively in relief this year and probably wouldn’t step back into the rotation out of the gate. The Dodgers also recently selected highly-regarded pitching prospect Ryan Pepiot to make his major league debut; Pepiot was optioned back to Oklahoma City after a start on Wednesday.
Happy for Kershaw that it’s not his throwing arm.
You’re correct, it’s not his arm, it’s his hip, can he throw using a walker?
His Sports Illustrated joint?
Presumably the Swimsuit Issue
Again?
That’s a lower back problem. Hasn’t he had issues with that before?
Kinda pelvis/lower back and yes he has
I can’t believe Kershaw is injured again. Crazy.
Just when we were all sure CK was back 🙁
He is back, back to the IL. I will see myself out now.
Shocker!
Not surprised. He gets injured yearly without fail.
best team in baseball but SP depth is biggest weakness. I have to wonder if Dodgers work a trade for a SP soon
“We’re sorry but your call to the 619 area code could not be completed. If you feel like you reached this recording in error, please hang up and try again.”
Lily Tomlin is among us. i laughed but why not Martinez for Taylor? win-win
the media keeps pushing this, but how are they the “best team” exactly? maybe they will be eventually, but they’ve dropped series to the rockies, dbacks, & pirates — not to mention having a charmin soft schedule thus far…
Exactly
When is the last time a Dodger team dropped a series against Arizona, Colorado and Pittsburgh in a span of 30 games? This team has some flaws.
@corrosive23: well, it helps that they’ve played a baby soft schedule. Look at the Astros ERA during their winning streak. Same deal.
Yeah that 2.11 ERA for starting pitchers sure is a dumpster fire. DFA all of them immediately.
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/stats/team/pitching?split=sp&sortState=asc
David Price:zero eff’s given
As if a hip injury can not end a season or career, lol. “Thankfully it’s not his arm’ or maybe thankfully it’s his landing leg and not his push off.
It’s the SI joint, not the hip npb. Should not keep him out long. Pepiot is not the answer for 2022. Likely Jackson or Mitch White, what happened to mitch?
White is on the lL. Jackson has walked 16 in 14.1 this year. Michael Grove is pitching well in Tulsa. I think he’s the guy.
Dodgers may need to make an acquisition. Seeing some mean reversion with the pitching staff as they play better hitting teams more consistently. Did you honestly think Anderson was going to be a sub 3 era pitcher? Gonsolin has posted low ERA but has gotten away with traffic on the base paths. Now the Kershaw injury. Heaney seems like will be out for a while. Same for Treinen. Price is not the answer nor Pepiot nor White.
This minor injury will not keep either Kershaw or the Dodgers from playing in the post-season, just need the rotation healthy by the playoffs. Kershaw is having a great year and if this is his last season, he is going out in style.
They need to work on their pitching staff’s endurance imo. Buehler, Urias, Scherzer, & Kershaw were all either gassed, mismanaged, or injured by season’s end. Where’s the depth?
I’m hip to the whole scene!
Get well soon, Kershey squirts!
The comments on this post are pretty insane. One of the best pitchers of the last quarter century is wearing down as he gets older, and all most people can do is complain.
I don’t see many complaints above, what is your complaint?
“He’s injured, he’s injured, he’s injured!” The tone is whining sarcasm. The guy has almost 2500 IP of generally excellent performance, and commenters are complaining that he’s not healthy and doing even more.
That’s your narrative, but I don’t see those sentiments dominating here.
They don’t have to dominate to wonder why they are here at all.
He said “all MOST people can do is complain”. So I stand corrected, I guess?
“all MANY people can do is complain.” Is that better?
Doesn’t matter to me, ask Blue 🙂
Bad news for Los Karens.
I don’t get “Los Karens”, and I keep seeing it. Is the joke that the Dodgers complain to the manager or something? I’m not making the connection.
The embodiment of crybabies like Joe Karen Kelly and their fans who haven’t stopped crying about 2017. Literally look at any Astros content on MLB and every other comment is from a Los Karen fan bitching about cheating. They’ve earned their Karen name from the constant complaining.
I know a Karen or 23, none of which are Dodger fans, who resent karenism. But wouldn’t it be Las?
Oh, so it’s that we’re mad about the cheating? We shouldn’t be mad about that, even now? I see how this could be a back and forth thing, but I didn’t comment to start stuff, so I’ll leave with a thank you for the explanation.
Good old rocker 49. Always the same dumb comment but he is no quitter.
Good thing him and Roberts pulled himself from that perfect game otherwise he would be hurt now. Oh wait…..
Unbelievable talent in Kershaw. Very little moxie. After he took himself out of that game it made perfect sense why he gets shelled when it comes to pressure spots in the playoffs.
Glad you know exactly what’s going on in his head and heart.
Hip injury for an athlete is not a good sign for longevity. He had a great career.
When is carrot top May due back?