Clayton Kershaw will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday in opposition to the Los Angeles Angels. The 37-year-old left-hander started his 18th season with the crew on the injured listing whereas recovering from toe and knee surgical procedures.
His return comes at a crucial time for the Dodgers, with starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured listing. One other starter, Roki Sasaki, reported arm soreness after his most up-to-date begin and is now on the IL with right shoulder impingement.
“It is a massive shot within the arm,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated Tuesday about Kershaw’s return. “Clayton has labored actually laborious to get wholesome and the bar is excessive for him. He does not wish to simply come again to be energetic. He needs to be come again and assist us win baseball video games and be good. I do know he is excited to contribute.”
In complete, the Dodgers have 15 pitchers on the IL, although that quantity contains Kershaw and two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who leads the majors in runs scored (44) because the crew’s designated hitter.
Ohtani hasn’t pitched since 2023 after present process elbow surgical procedure, however he is continued to work towards a return to the mound. Most not too long ago, he threw 35 pitches in a bullpen session on Could 10.
Kershaw struck out two and allowed a pair of runs on two hits and two walks in his last rehab begin with Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis on Sunday. He threw 57 pitches over 4 innings.
“The command the final time wasn’t to his type of requirements or liking, however he nonetheless was very environment friendly, acquired the swing and miss,” Roberts stated. “With Clayton simply being again, it simply provides a component of certainty and efficiency.”
The three-time Cy Younger Award winner will tie Zack Wheat and Invoice Russell for essentially the most years with the Dodgers franchise when he begins this weekend. He and Russell are the one gamers to log 18 seasons for the reason that Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Kershaw is the longest-tenured participant on the present roster.
Kershaw is 32 strikeouts from reaching 3,000 to go along with his 212 profession wins.
He made simply seven begins final yr earlier than his season resulted in August on account of ache in his left massive toe. He watched from the sidelines because the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees to win their eighth World Sequence title.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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