The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed Yoshinobu Yamamoto back on Tuesday and hope to soon have Tyler Glasnow rejoin their rotation as well, but the outlook for Clayton Kershaw remains much more unclear.
Kershaw made eight starts after returning from offseason left shoulder surgery before going back on the injured list because of toe trouble. Kershaw pitched one-plus inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 30, when he was removed due to what the Dodgers initially deemed left big toe pain.
Manager Dave Roberts then revealed that was caused by a bone spur, which Kershaw has pitched through for multiple seasons.
Although Kershaw has managed to continue playing catch and throwing off a makeshift mound, he’s also needed to wear a walking boot at times and the Dodgers aren’t certain of whether or not he’ll return this season.
“I think hopeful is a good word,” Roberts said. “He’s doing everything he possibly can to be able to realize that goal. I saw him throw, and obviously the toe is not healed. Like I’ve said, he’s keeping his arm moving, but it’s still got to heal.
“And if it doesn’t, and it’s limiting, then it’s just not putting himself, whether it’s performance or health of other parts of his body in jeopardy. Like I said, Clayton is doing everything he possibly can, so I think hopeful is right where I’m at.”
Clayton Kershaw’s toe injury
While the Dodgers have dealt with a rash of injuries throughout the season, the reality is Kershaw’s situation is similar to Freddie Freeman playing through a hairline fracture in his right middle finger.
Neither player is going to get back to 100% health this season, but Roberts views Kershaw’s injury in a different light when compared to Freeman’s, in part because of there being more in the toe than just a bone spur.
“You’re talking about first base, doesn’t affect the hitting, the throwing is still limited,” Roberts said. “And then you’re talking about the foot, the toe, the push off, trying to throw 75 to 100 pitches, building the body to then get the hand speed to execute pitches.
“It’s also not just a spur, there’s some, I don’t know if it’s tendons or ligaments. There’s other things going on that I don’t think it’s even close to similar.”
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