The Los Angeles Dodgers are in need of starting pitching with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow working through their respective injuries, and reinforcement could possibly be on the way as Clayton Kershaw nears the end of his rehab assignment.
Kershaw has not pitched in a Major League game since Aug. 30 of last season and has been recovering from left toe and knee surgery he had in the offseason.
Kershaw began his rehab assignment on April 16 and has been on a steady progression ever since. He completed six innings in his most recent outing with the Dodgers’ Arizona Complex League team at Camelback Ranch.
He went to Arizona rather than a Minor League affiliate to avoid any potential delay to his start date as a result of poor weather, which previously happened with his third rehab start.
Kershaw’s next outing is scheduled for Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and it could very well be his last one before joining the Dodgers, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Kershaw is scheduled to make his final rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.
Kershaw is eligible to be activated from the 60-day injured list on May 17, but he would appear likely to return the following day.
Kershaw’s arrival could not be coming at a better time as the Dodgers continue to be one of the least effective teams in baseball when it comes to innings pitched from their starting rotation. It has forced them to rely heavily on their bullpen to get them through games, which could have long-term repercussions on the effectiveness of the relievers.
This is a concern for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, especially considering how crucial a dominant bullpen was during the Dodgers’ World Series run last season.
With Kershaw returning soon, he should be able to eat some of the innings necessary to help take strain off the bullpen, while also providing the Dodgers another quality starting pitcher.
Clayton Kershaw adding to pitch mix?
Kershaw is looking to evolve as a pitcher as he enters his 18th Major League season at 37 year old. That could entail utilizing more changeups and sinkers during outings.
He envisions the sinker acting more like a “runner” as moves straight across the plate to left-handed hitters. While Kershaw has a plan for how he wants to utilize his sinker, he wants to have more confidence in his changeup if he is to throw it with a lot more regularity this season.
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