The Los Angeles Dodgers placed Clayton Kershaw on the 10-day injured list and recalled Mitch White from Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
It marks a second IL stint this season for Kershaw, as he previously missed two months while recovering from a similar injury. That recovery process included a setback and Kershaw later admitted to trying to rush his return.
He was activated in the middle of September and had been going through the process of stretching out to a full starter’s workload in time for the postseason.
However, that came to a crashing halt on Friday when Kershaw left his start with two outs in the second inning.
“In that Wong at-bat, I saw a couple winces and I didn’t know if he wanted a strike call or something with pain. Saw it a couple more times, went out there and obviously he felt something,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after his club’s comeback win.
“Didn’t feel like he could continue. We’re going to do some tests, but obviously when Clayton has to come out of a game, it doesn’t bode well. What that means, we just don’t know enough right now. But where we’re at in the schedule, with what’s left for the season, just not too optimistic right now.”
Kershaw finishes the season at 10-8 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 22 starts. It’s his highest ERA since a rookie campaign in 2008.
White is back up with the Dodgers for a 10th time this season. He’s 1-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 20 games (four starts), and last pitched for Oklahoma City one week ago when throwing four innings.
White is a combined 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA in 12 games (nine starts) with OKC and Low-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Kershaw focused on Dodgers, not free agency
In addition to Friday likely being Kershaw’s final time pitching this year, it also may have been his last start for the Dodgers. The 33-year-old is due to become a free agent after the 2021 season.
Although uncertainty is ahead, Kershaw said he is not concerned about becoming a free agent and instead is looking forward to supporting the Dodgers as they look to defend their World Series title.
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