Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw has hit an unexpected snag on his path to recovery following shoulder surgery. After making one rehab start and gearing up for a second, Kershaw has now been sidelined due to lingering soreness in his shoulder.
The veteran pitcher, renowned as one of the most formidable forces on the mound, won’t be throwing for at least a week as he seeks to quell the discomfort before making another attempt at returning to game action. Fans can rest somewhat easy, however, as an MRI revealed no new issues in Kershaw’s shoulder.
Back in November, Kershaw underwent surgery to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder. Despite the procedure's success, the road to full recovery appears more winding and complex than initially anticipated.
A Measured Approach
In his first rehab outing, Kershaw pitched three innings and tossed 36 pitches, a modest workload that suggests caution remains the guiding principle in his recovery. The Dodgers have made it clear that for Kershaw to rejoin the big-league roster, he would need to demonstrate the ability to pitch at least five innings and reach around 75 pitches.
Addressing Kershaw's recent setbacks, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the challenges that come with the rehabilitation process. "This is part of the process as far as anyone that goes through rehab, that goes through surgery, and is on his way back," Roberts said. "It's not surprising. It's not perfect, but it's not surprising in the fact that there is a little bit of a regression in the throwing process."
Despite the setbacks, there remains an air of cautious optimism that Kershaw could be back in action by August, bolstering a Dodgers pitching staff that has been heavily impacted by injuries this season.
An Unyielding Season of Injuries
Indeed, the Dodgers' mound has seen a revolving door of injuries in 2023. Key pitchers like Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller have spent significant time on the injured list, and stalwarts such as Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and Kershaw have yet to see any game action this year. Adding to the woes, recently acquired talent Yoshinobu Yamamoto has also been sidelined.
Despite these adversities, the Dodgers have defied expectations, maintaining a robust 48-31 record as of Monday. Their resilience has paved the way for an 8.5-game lead in the fiercely competitive NL West, a testament to the depth and versatility of their roster.
As Kershaw takes this requisite break, both the team and its fanbase are hopeful that the veteran pitcher’s shoulder will recover enough to contribute in the season’s crucial later stages. The Dodgers' impressive run amid the continuous shuffle of pitchers not only speaks volumes about their talent pool but also underscores the importance of Kershaw’s eventual return.
With many innings ahead in this season, the Dodgers can use every bit of firepower they can get on the mound. Kershaw’s journey underscores the fragility and strength intertwined in the path to recovery, a narrative well familiar to athletes and fans alike. For now, the baseball world watches and waits, hoping to see the iconic left-hander back where he belongs — pitching in the heat of the battle for the Los Angeles Dodgers.