Sources revealed that a shoulder that was “a little bit testy” two weeks earlier wouldn’t allow Clayton Kershaw to pitch again until August.
Kershaw was originally diagnosed with left shoulder inflammation following his Colorado debut on June 27 and was given an injection to treat it. The Dodgers hesitated to put him on the disabled list but finally did so on July 3 with the expectation that he would return to their rotation to start the second half of the season later this week.
But Kershaw said he had an MRI “before the (All-Star) break” and was advised by Doctors that he “just needed to heal.” It appears the MRI revealed more than just inflammation, but the three-time Cy Young Award winner declined to be specific.
What did Kershaw say?
“There is no need to be specific. We’re not doctors here,” Kershaw said. “We just have to listen to the doctors. I’m trying to do my best.
Kershaw said his shoulder “hurt in Colorado, but it doesn’t hurt anymore” and that he continues to pitch without pain. He plans to hold a bullpen session next week, possibly during the series in Baltimore.
“It is the strongest. I feel absolutely fine,” he said. “Shoulder feels good. I’ve just been told it needs a rest. It’s a strange deal. I’ve never had anything like this before, to the point where today I’m going to catch it and throw it as hard as I can, and they say it needs a rest.
“If I hadn’t had the MRI, I probably would have been pitching this weekend. But I did, and it showed to the point where the doctors told me he needed to take a few weeks off. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
Kershaw said he hoped to be ready to pitch again, but “it could be in a few weeks.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hesitated to be specific.
“It’s hard to pinpoint an exact timeline, but early August, sometime by now, is reasonable,” Roberts said. “I think Clayton is doing everything he can to follow the doctor’s orders, and when he’s ready to pitch, he’ll pitch.”
Other Info!
Kershaw, 35, served as the anchor of the team’s injury-plagued pitching staff for the first half of the season, going 10-4 with a 2.55 ERA and striking out 105 batters in 95⅓ innings. His production earned him the tenth selection to the All-Star Game.
Moreover, he’s arguably the best pitcher of his generation: He averaged 222 innings a season with a 2.24 ERA from 2010 to 2015, hasn’t broken the 200-inning mark since, and has included 11 trips to the disabled list in recent years for eight seasons.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ starting lineup would continue with three rookies: Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, and Michael Grove. Tony Gonsolin is scheduled to start on Saturday, followed by Miller on Sunday, Sheehan in Baltimore, and Grove on Monday and Tuesday.