While the Los Angeles Dodgers have shuffled several pitchers in and out of their rotation due to injury or subpar performance, Clayton Kershaw has remained the one constant.
The Dodgers’ left-handed ace is in the midst of the best season of his career, leading the majors in innings pitched (121), strikeouts (145) and ERA (1.79), among other categories.
Kershaw did hit a bump in the road on Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, suffering just his second loss of the season.
He allowed four runs over six innings, with all four runs scored in the second, and only finished with four strikeouts.
It was reported on Monday that Kershaw received treatment for back stiffness. While the matter wasn’t said to be serious, Kershaw is returning to Los Angeles ahead of his teammates to be examined, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Kershaw flying home for exam.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) June 28, 2016
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the current discomfort isn’t related to Kershaw’s previous hip issue:
Roberts said the issue is back soreness, not hip as in past.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) June 28, 2016
Kershaw is scheduled to fly to L.A. on Wednesday morning. The Dodgers remain hopeful he will make his scheduled start against the Colorado Rockies on Friday. The three-time Cy Young Award winner missed five weeks in 2014 with a teres major strain (upper back).
It’s the lone time in Kershaw’s career he’s been placed on the disabled list. Last July he was scratched from a start due to hip soreness; he started three days later. Kershaw is 11-2 this season, with the Dodgers winners in 14 of his 16 starts.
