Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to make his first start of the 2025 season for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. It is the first day he is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list after rehabbing from left toe and knee surgeries.
The Dodgers are already seeing shades of the past two years, as the starting rotation has been significantly impacted by injuries once again. Kershaw’s return could not have come at a better time, with the team in desperate need of Major League-quality arms.
While Kershaw will be the second starter to return, following in the footsteps of Tony Gonsolin, the Dodgers are still left with a net loss of Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and now Roki Sasaki all on the injured list.
Before the season began, Kershaw’s return was expected to elevate an already-excellent Dodgers rotation. That can still be true later on this season, but in the interim, the Dodgers now are relying on him to keep the group afloat until further reinforcements arrive.
During his appearance on “Dodger Talk” with David Vassegh, Kershaw expressed that he is up for the challenge of returning from offseason surgeries and is looking forward to helping:
“This has been a hard one, for sure. I’m super excited to get back out here. More than anything, I’m tired of taking up space. I want to contribute, I want to help the team out. I’m excited to get out there and start getting some people out, and making a positive contribution.”
The offseason procedure on his left foot has given Kershaw a much-needed sense of relief while on the mound after playing through pain at times last season. After a productive rehab stint, he is now looking forward to writing the next chapter in his storied career:
“It felt good to be focused on pitching. The last few times I pitched last year, I was just focused on how much my foot was hurting. I think now, kind of shifting the gears toward how to get people out and focusing on the next pitch, as opposed to what hurts, is nice. Physically, I feel good. It’s been a hard road, but now that we’re kind of on the tail end of that and starting a new chapter of actually getting to pitch, it is exciting.”
Over the course of his rehab assignment, Kershaw completed five starts split amongst Triple-A Oklahoma City (three), Double-A Tulsa (one) and the Dodgers’ Arizona Complex League affiliate. He allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of the games.
Clayton Kershaw adding to Dodgers legacy
Kershaw is poised to begin his 18th season with the Dodgers on Saturday, tying Bill Russell and Zack Wheat for the most in franchise history.
He’s also going to be in pursuit of 3,000 career strikeouts. When Kershaw takes the mound on Saturday, he’ll be 32 strikeouts shy of the milestone.
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