After landing on the 10-day disabled list with a back injury for the third consecutive season, Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was able to return after just three weeks when he started last Saturday against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
Since he did not end up making a rehab start, Kershaw lasted just three innings and 55 pitches in the outing, giving up five hits and two runs while striking out four and walking one.
The results weren’t as important as him coming out of the start healthy, which Kershaw said was the case. When he was next due to take the mound, however, had not been determined at the time.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has since announced Kershaw will likely make his next start on normal rest Thursday in the series finale against the Chicago Cubs, via Kaelen Jones of MLB.com:
Roberts confirmed that left-hander Clayton Kershaw is penciled in to start against the Cubs on Thursday. Kershaw lasted three innings against the Mets on Saturday in his first start since going on the DL with lower back discomfort on June 1.
Kershaw threw an extra inning in the bullpen after his start against the Mets to help extend his pitch count, so he should be able to stretch this start to at least five innings if all goes to plan.
The first half of the 2018 season has not been a kind one for Kershaw, with him missing around a month of action due to bicep tendinitis and then injuring his back in his first start after returning from the arm injury.
As has been the case in previous years, Kershaw’s teammates stepped up in his absence and got the Dodgers back in the playoff race. But him remaining healthy for the remainder of the season will be imperative to the Dodgers’ pursuit of a sixth consecutive National League West title.
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