On the afternoon it became clear the Los Angeles Dodgers would need to place Clayton Kershaw on the 15-day disabled list, they received six strong innings from Kenta Maeda and cruised to an easy victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
The win helped Los Angeles ended their road trip on a high note, and it was the start of what turned into a five-game winning streak. Kershaw, who received an epidural, was diagnosed with a mild disc herniation. He was officially placed on the DL on July 1, though it was retroactive to June 27.
Kershaw has made enough progress in his recovery that he was recently cleared to begin playing catch and was said to be ahead of schedule. However, the Dodgers have not publicly set a timeline for his return.
What is known is Kershaw won’t return immediately after the All-Star break. “He’ll need some time after that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Friday.
“Every day he seems to feel better, the activity continues to increase. The sooner the better, but we’re still reluctant to put any type of timeline on Clayton. You ask Clayton, he wants to get back here as soon as he possibly can. I think us, as an organization, we want to make sure we’ve done everything we can to put him in the best possible position to stay healthy.”
Kershaw is currently advancing through a five-step program that was set by Dr. Robert Watkins. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said last week once the left-handed ace is able to resume pitching, a timetable would become clear.
It was reported doctors estimated to the Dodgers that Kershaw would miss four to six weeks. Of course, the three-time Cy Young Award is known for pushing the envelope and has again proven to be a quick healer.
The Dodgers are in better position now than they were just over one week ago to withstand the loss of their ace. Brandon McCarthy made his return from Tommy John surgery, and Hyun-Jin Ryu started for the first time since October 2014.
What’s more, the Dodgers also have Bud Norris in the fold, as he was acquired in a five-player trade with the Atlanta Braves to fill Kershaw’s turn in the rotation. Kershaw was scheduled to make two starts prior to the All-Star break.
