The Los Angeles Dodgers activated Clayton Kershaw off the bereavement list Friday and optioned Tayler Scott to Triple-A Oklahoma City ahead of their series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Kershaw had been on bereavement since Monday, which was also when Scott had his contract selected by the Dodgers. MLB roster rules require players to remain on the bereavement list for a minimum of three days but no more than seven.
Kershaw returns well within that timeframe and prior to his expected start at Tropicana Field on Saturday. He had been away from the team to attend funeral services for his mother, Marianne Tombaugh, who passed away May 13.
Prior to taking the leave, Kershaw labored through two consecutive short starts. He threw just four innings against the Minnesota Twins and followed that with only pitching 3.2 innings in a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kershaw’s outing at Busch Stadium marked the shortest start he’s has made since 2021. It was the first time the 35-year-old made back-to-back starts of four innings or fewer since 2009.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw continued to throw and workout while in Texas, and there shouldn’t be any limitations for his outing Saturday. Roberts had previously surmised an emotional toll impacted Kershaw’s performance in the two subpar starts, though the left-hander himself dismissed that as possibility.
Even with the recent struggles, Kershaw is 6-4 with a 2.98 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 1.10 WHIP and has 69 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched across 10 starts. He was named National League Pitcher of the Month for April.
Tayler Scott part of MLB history with Dodgers
Scott did not make an appearance for the Dodgers, but is 1-0 with two saves, a 1.08 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 16 games with Oklahoma City so far this season.
Scott has prior Major League experience with the Seattle Mariners (2019), Baltimore Orioles (2019) and San Diego Padres (2022). He went a combined 0-1 with an 11.21 ERA and 2.36 WHIP in 21 games (two starts) for those clubs.
Scott also was part of the Philadelphia Phillies organization last season but he was never added to their active roster.
The Dodgers signed Scott to a Minor League contract in January.
Scott and Gift Ngoepe are the only South African-born players in MLB history. Ngoepe made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 and also played in 13 games for the Toronto Blue Jays the following year.
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