Clayton Kershaw to no surprise was once said to be recovering ahead of schedule after being put on the 15-day disabled list with a mild disc herniation. However, Kershaw’s progress came to a halt after a simulated game in mid-July led to residual back pain.
He’s spent the past few weeks limited to core exercises, but may be rounding the corner as the regular season hits the home stretch. Kershaw played catch on Saturday at Dodger Stadium for the second consecutive day, throwing from 90 feet or so.
Overall, it was the third time Kershaw threw a baseball around since suffering his setback last month. The next step for the left-handed ace advancing to throw off a mound.
“We’ll see what happens. There might be something on the horizon, but we’re not sure exactly what day,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts responded when asked of that possibility.
The Dodgers have never put a timeline on Kershaw. Any insight into the expected date of return has only come with Roberts stating he’s optimistic the 28-year-old to pitch for the club in September.
After prioritizing boxes to check off by certain dates to note progress being made, Kershaw admitted to adjusting his philosophy after the the simulated game set him back. He’s now simply focused on contributing this season.
Kershaw is 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA, 217 ERA+ and 0.73 WHIP. He still leads the Majors in ERA, ERA+ WHIP and shutouts (three), among other statistics.
