Days after being named Opening Day starter for a ninth consecutive year, Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw had his Spring Training come to a grinding halt.
Frustration from a simulated game and subsequent bullpen session caused frustration that led to Kershaw being excused from a workout at Camelback Ranch. He and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts declined to provide specifics, with Kershaw only saying he was taking time to reset.
It later became known that he was suffering from inflammation in his left shoulder. After being shut down for several days, Kershaw resumed playing catch and began a steady build up to full health.
He nonetheless was ruled out to extend his franchise record with a ninth straight start on Opening Day, and was placed on the 10-day injured list to begin the season.
After throwing a simulated game early in the week, Kershaw threw another in which he increased to three innings on Saturday. According to Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times, the next step is a bullpen session and start of a rehab assignment:
Clayton Kershaw threw 50 pitches in his 3-inning sim game and a 4th inning in the bullpen. Roberts said he’ll throw his standard side session in a couple days before going to OKC or Tulsa for a rehab start. That’ll be 4 or 5 innings. They’ll then decide if he needs another one.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) March 30, 2019
Kershaw is known to not be a proponent of rehab starts; he last did so in 2017 after being sidelined for more than two months. Kershaw was due to start for Triple-A Oklahoma City last season but his outing instead came with the Dodgers.
Assuming he remains on a regular schedule, it’s plausible the 31-year-old starts Thursday — Opening Day — for Oklahoma City.
