With Kershaw hitting IL, Dodgers pitching delivers
LOS ANGELES — After a couple of days of pushing again the choice, the Dodgers positioned left-hander Clayton Kershaw on the 15-day injured listing with left shoulder soreness earlier than Monday’s sport towards the Pirates, retroactive to Friday.
Replacing Kershaw, particularly given his manufacturing this season, will probably be unattainable for the Dodgers over the ultimate six video games till the All-Star break. But the Dodgers’ pitching workers handed its first check in a 5-2 win at Dodger Stadium.
“When Clayton takes the mound, you expect to win a ballgame,” mentioned Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts, who secured his 700th profession win as a supervisor. “So tonight, we won a ballgame, and I think we allowed him to get over what he’s been dealing with and the second half starts anew.”
Kershaw was initially scheduled to start out on Monday, however that immediately turned uncertain as soon as he was identified with left shoulder irritation following his final outing towards the Rockies on Tuesday. Kershaw obtained a cortisone shot on Wednesday, stopping him from throwing a bullpen session in between his begins.
Despite that, Kershaw tried to make it again on Monday and was hopeful to persuade the Dodgers over the weekend that he might pitch. But given the Dodgers’ rotation being in flux and the All-Star break looming, either side agreed to position him on the IL for the primary time this season.
“Any time you have to take time off, it’s frustrating. Disappointing,” Kershaw mentioned. “Just the way the season was going, I had hoped that I could make it through a full season. Any time it doesn’t work out, that’s definitely frustrating for me. But where we’re at with the season and with the break, it’s probably overall a good thing.”
The Dodgers and Kershaw stay assured that he’ll be capable of return after the minimal period of time, which might on July 15 towards the Mets. They wouldn’t, nevertheless, say that Kershaw would definitively begin that evening as a result of they don’t wish to rush the him with any specific timeline.
“Every day, it’s gotten better,” mentioned Roberts. “So I feel really confident about it. Really good.”
Kershaw mentioned he was upset to not be capable of pitch within the upcoming All-Star Game in Seattle. The veteran earned his tenth All-Star choice on Sunday, tying a franchise file. Kershaw mentioned his son, Charley, was wanting ahead to watching him pitch for a second consecutive yr.
The Dodgers’ ace does count on to make the journey to Seattle and participate within the festivities regardless of not pitching.
With Kershaw occurring the injured listing, Michael Grove was recalled to the lively roster to start out on Monday. Grove didn’t have his finest command, however he was capable of navigate by way of vital visitors on the bases, permitting only one run over 4 innings.
“I was fighting it a little bit,” Grove mentioned. “I was just trying to make a pitch when I needed to.”
With Kershaw occurring the IL, the Dodgers will depend on the remainder of the beginning rotation to select up the slack over the following week. All 5 of the beginning pitchers on the Opening Day roster have now landed on the IL at totally different factors this season.
Adding a beginning pitcher on the Trade Deadline has abruptly grow to be a precedence for the Dodgers. But till then, the pitching workers will probably be requested to step up in an enormous means. They did that on Monday.
“It was a very good [win],” Roberts mentioned. “The way we showed up today, facing an All-Star pitcher [in Mitch Keller] and he had his way with us in Pittsburgh, so for him to play well, it was a good sign. Now, we have to build that momentum. That’s something we haven’t done well this year, but we have an opportunity with five more games going into the break.”
