There was understandable concern when the Los Angeles Dodgers placed Clayton Kershaw on the 10-day injured list due to left forearm inflammation on July 7, but an MRI did not reveal any structural damage.
Instead, Kershaw was diagnosed with left elbow inflammation, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence he would return this season. Kershaw was making steady progress toward that becoming a reality after shutting down from throwing during the All-Star break.
He eventually resumed playing catch and built up to throwing a simulated game that lasted three innings on July 27. However, that was followed by lingering pain that forced Kershaw to be shut down for a second time.
Now with multiple weeks having passed, the 33-year-old is poised to start a throwing program once the Dodgers are back from their road trip, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Injured starter Clayton Kershaw is expected to rejoin the Dodgers when they return to Los Angeles on Monday. Kershaw will re-start his throwing program by playing catch, according to Roberts.
Kershaw did not travel with the team to Philadelphia or New York. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 9, which made Sept. 5 the earliest date for a potential return.
The paper move didn’t have much impact on Kershaw’s timetable, as he and Roberts had already been pointing to September once there was a setback. Had Kershaw been able to throw a second simulated game on Aug. 1, he was potentially going to be activated for the Freeway Series.
Kershaw: I rushed return
Notoriously impatient when on the IL, Kershaw admitted to attempting to make too quick of a recovery from his left elbow inflammation.
“Basically, I just tried to come back too fast, which is a bummer,” he said last week. “After the sim game it really didn’t respond well. It’s frustrating, it’s still nothing serious, but it’s just something that’s going to take a little bit of time. It’s no fun.
“Being hurt is miserable. I really don’t enjoy it at all. Especially with what’s going on here, the guys we have coming in, this stretch run, I want to be a part of it so bad. I’m going to do everything I can to be back, and I think I will be.
“But definitely looking more like September than August. I know we’re still going to be in the middle of it, so I’m excited to be part of it then.”
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