Clayton Kershaw needs more time.
The Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher will not return to the rotation until at least early August, he confirmed Friday, via Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. Kershaw suffered from a lingering left shoulder injury, something the Dodgers did not initially believe was serious or would take a long time to recover from.
Although Kershaw insisted he felt fine, he said doctors told him his shoulder needed more time to heal after he had an MRI before the All-Star break.
in his left shoulder after leaving against the Colorado Rockies on June 27. Kershaw had a hit in the sixth inning of that game, but only threw 79 pitches and walked away in the sixth inning with some discomfort.
earlier this month, which eliminated him from what would have been his 10th career All-Star Game. He had several pitching sessions before heading to IL and nearly returned before the break, but the team opted to send him there in an effort to keep his time off the mound to a minimum.
Kershaw holds a 2.55 ERA and has 10 wins in 16 starts and 95 ⅓ innings this season, all of which are the best in the Dodgers rotation. The 35-year-old has made at least one trip to IL in each of his last eight seasons. He also missed part of the 2019 campaign due to shoulder inflammation.
It’s still unclear when Kershaw will return specifically. The Dodgers resume their season on Friday afternoon and kick off a three-game series with the New York Mets at Citi Field. The Dodgers closed the first half of the season on a four-game winning streak. They hold a 51-38 record, tied for best in western Newfoundland and Labrador with the Arizona Diamondbacks.