One of the hardest hit areas of the Los Angeles Dodgers roster by injury this season has been their starting rotation, where the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Danny Duffy and Dustin May having been sidelined for various lengths of time.
Kershaw, out since July 7 due to left forearm inflammation, appeared to be making progress toward a return before being shut down two weeks ago with lingering elbow soreness. It prevented him from facing batters a second time in five days at the start of August.
The left-hander was transferred to the 60-day injured list as a paper move and now isn’t eligible to be reinstated until Sept. 5.
In the event he doesn’t have enough time to build back up as a starter, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts left open the possibility of Kershaw returning as a reliever, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Roberts acknowledged it is possible Kershaw won’t have enough time to build back up to a starter’s workload.
“I think that will be kind of contingent on where the ramp-up goes,” he said. “I don’t want to say, ‘No.’ That’s the goal. But if it comes to be a two-, three-inning monster out of the ’pen, then that’s what it will be.”
Should Kershaw indeed transition to the bullpen for the remainder of the 2021 season, he could be used in the same role Julio Urias filled during the 2020 postseason.
Of Kershaw’s 375 career appearances in the regular season, all but three have come as starts. He last pitched out of the bullpen in 2019, and prior to that, had not done so since the 2009 season.
Kershaw additionally has seven career relief appearances in the playoffs, with perhaps his most notable one coming in Game 5 of the 2016 National League Division Series when he recorded the final two outs and earned the save against the Washington Nationals.
Kershaw admits to rushing return
Kershaw was candid when discussing the cause of his recent setback and blamed it on himself wanting to rush back. “Basically, I just tried to come back too fast, which is a bummer,” he said.
“After the sim game it really didn’t respond well. It’s frustrating, it’s still nothing serious, but it’s just something that’s going to take a little bit of time. It’s no fun. Being hurt is miserable. I really don’t enjoy it at all.
“Especially with what’s going on here, the guys we have coming in, this stretch run, I want to be a part of it so bad. I’m going to do everything I can to be back, and I think I will be. But definitely looking more like September than August. I know we’re still going to be in the middle of it, so I’m excited to be part of it then.”
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