Clayton Kershaw made his long-awaited return to the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation last week, which came nearly eight months after undergoing left shoulder surgery.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner took the mound against the San Francisco Giants and held them to two runs over four innings while collecting six strikeouts.
Kershaw made just three rehab appearances prior to rejoining the Dodgers, but manager Dave Roberts has been encouraged with his recovery after starts. “I think the thing that stood out is the strength of the shoulder,” Roberts said of Kershaw.
“I think the recovery has been great in the sense of last year, the last couple years, when he was throwing afterward, there was soreness, pain and trying to just get to the next start. Where now, days after he throws, he feels strong, he feels fresh.
“The soreness in the right parts of the body. And the stuff for me, like I said a couple days ago, is better than it was last year. So results, we’ll wait and see, but I just feel like where he’s at physically, I see good things happening.”
Despite throwing just four innings against the Giants, Kershaw has shown no signs of being hindered by last year’s left shoulder injury, and Roberts expects him to only get stronger.
With his 2024 debut, Kershaw became the first player in Dodgers franchise history to pitch in 17 seasons. He returned to the team on a one-year contract that includes a player option for 2025.
“It kind of makes me feel old a little bit,” he said of the accomplishment. “But at the same time, I don’t take for granted what this organization means to a lot of people in Los Angeles and all over the world. For me to be here that long, it’s a huge honor.”
Clayton Kershaw’s custom cleats
Kershaw made his return in custom Skechers cleats that featured drawings created by his four children. The 36-year-old recently highlighted the time he spent with his family as one of the positives of his recovery from shoulder surgery.
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