The Dodgers announced that left-hander Clayton Kershaw has been activated from the injured list, with fellow lefty Victor González optioned in a corresponding move.
Kershaw, 35, was placed on the 15-day IL July 3, retroactive to June 30, due to soreness in his left shoulder. It was initially hoped that the southpaw could return after a brief respite, perhaps only missing a start or two since the All-Star break was coming up. However, subsequent reporting indicated he would likely be out until early August, which has now come to pass, as he will take the ball to start tonight’s game against the Rockies.
Prior to the IL stint, the results continued to be excellent for Kershaw. He’s thrown 95 1/3 innings over 16 starts so far this year, having allowed 2.55 earned runs per nine innings. His 27.7% strikeout rate, 6.3% walk rate and 47.2% ground ball rate are all above league average.
Trips to the IL have become the norm for him, with 2015 being the last season in which he didn’t have at least one stint away from the club. That was also the last year in which he topped 180 regular season innings, and he’s been held beneath 127 frames in each campaign since 2019.
Although Kershaw’s absence wasn’t especially long, rotation health has been and continues to be a major focus for the club. Walker Buehler has been on the IL all year due to last year’s Tommy John surgery. Dustin May required flexor tendon surgery a few months back and won’t return this year. Tony Gonsolin missed time due to an ankle sprain and Julio Urías was sidelined by a hamstring strain. Ryan Pepiot was on the IL for about four months due to an oblique strain and Michael Grove recently hit the shelf due to lat tightness.
The club acquired Lance Lynn from the White Sox prior to the deadline to bolster the rotation, though he has an ERA over 6.00 for the year. They also wanted to acquire Eduardo Rodriguez from the Tigers and reportedly had a deal in place, though he nixed that with his limited no-trade clause. That leaves the club with a five-man rotation of Kershaw, Lynn, Urías, Gonsolin and rookie Bobby Miller for the time being. Urías and Gonsolin have also been a bit shaky this year, with ERAs of 4.39 and 4.43, respectively. Depth options include Pepiot, Gavin Stone, and Emmet Sheehan, though each of those have posted middling results this year. Ryan Yarbrough is on hand as a long relief option in the bullpen and could perhaps jump into a rotation role, if needed.
Despite those rotation challenges, the Dodgers are still leading the National League West, six games clear of the Giants. The health and performance of the rotation figures to be an important factor in how strong they finish the regular season and perhaps how they perform in the postseason.
Much MUCH needed boost to the rotation having Kersh back. I hope he finishes the year without heading back to the IL. If Buehler can get back and build himself up, Dodgers will be in some good shape come September and into October.
The real “Left Arm of God”
The Dodgers system is so superior that they’ve gone the complete opposite of “all-in” and yet still remain in their customary place atop the NL West. It just shows how flawed the “all-in” strategy(Padres, Mets anyone)truly is, because it prioritizes this year over subsequent years, when you’ll also need a lot of those same resources that you spent or traded away, because of “winning the off-season”.
A nice thing is that he recognizes he’ll pitch only 2/3 of season so he signs for 2/3 of an ace salary.
This just in. Kershaw back on the IL.
This just in. You’re an idiot.
Ha ha ha. Love it when losers need to feel big for some comment stuff. Hurt your ego buddy ?
🙁
Great to see him back. It’s too bad he couldn’t have returned on their last home stand while we were in town. At least we got to see Ohtani pitch.
Kershaw is truly one of the ATGreats. Regardless of whither you’re a Dodgers fan or not, it is a treat to watch him pitch. Watch him while you still can before injuries derail him permanently.
Always good to have Kershaw back. Kershaw is using his “new” changeup. Looks like he’s using a split finger grip.
Favourite as dodger hurlers , started watching ball after Koufax drysdale era ,
Orel Kershaw Fernando Greinke Sutcliffe
You forgot Don Sutton, Tommy John,Burt Hooton.
Funny late last night off top of my head, knew I forgot somebody , long time dodger ,whom I liked , didn’t come to me. It was Sutton. Ya I liked him a lot. Thank you.
Funny , maybe coz of baseball cards , when I think of Burt I see a Cubbie , and John a white Sox or Yankee. Though of course were terrific as dodgers.
Those teams sure had some great pitching. Honorable mention to Bob Welch, Steve Howe, Jerry Ruess.
Kevin Brown too a bit later was excellent.
Sutcliffe threw 400 out of 2700 career innings (14.7%) as a Dodger. I doubt you saw him pitch much lol.
Lol to you too. Rick is one of my all time fav players of all time. Saw him plenty. You ?
Happens to have been a dodger. My post was my favourite pitchers who were also dodgers . Didn’t say anything about all time dodger great list.
The NLWEST is a competition graveyard with the Dodgers winning it every year except one (Giants one and done in Playoffs vs LA) over the last decade if memory suits me right. Giants President Of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi needs to be shown the door. Its easy to build up a good farm system when you are not doing any high profile free agent deals he gets too much credit on that front besides only Patrick Bailey and Camilo D0val have really shined at the Major League level during his tenure as far as I am concerned. The only consolation prize in recent Giants fans’ memories is that the Dave Robert’s team is almost identical to the Braves Bobby Cox’s teams in that they win the division year after year but only have ONE World Series Title to show for it and that was a Covid shortened season. Let’s just hope SF is pooling all their financial resources for a run at Shohei Ohtani this off season but they still have to add at least an additional solid starter and rework this team to show him that they can win a title(s) if he did indeed sign with them. With the A’s heading to Vegas the Gigantes ought to be right at the top of the top five revenue producers just think of the $ that would be coming in on Ohtani starter gear alone. On a separate note what the heck are the NHL Sharks management doing this is a pitiful unwatchable team going nowhere fast.
Oh yeah add Logan Webb good ERA but poor record this year re: last in the Majors or there abouts for run support. The Giants this year are basically a trussed up Minor League franchise with a very small handful of solid MLB players. Kapler seems dazed and confused makes questionable decisions in tight spots and never takes on umpires even on horrible calls he may be on the way out with Zaidi this off season no real emotions just SOP. Even if they make the Wild Card Round will be one and done.