5:37pm: Kershaw is headed to the injured list due to the issue, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Right-hander Ben Casparius has been recalled from the minors to take Kershaw’s roster spot, and Plunkett adds that left-hander Justin Wrobleski is set to be called up when rosters expand tomorrow to start tomorrow’s game. That could leave Wrobleski in position to take over Kershaw’s spot in the rotation relatively seamlessly.
7:55am: Clayton Kershaw threw just 27 pitches in Friday’s start before soreness in his left big toe forced the longtime Dodgers starter out of the game. Kershaw was charged with three earned runs over one inning of work plus one batter faced in the second frame, as the left-hander left the mound after allowing a home run to Corbin Carroll.
Speaking with reporters (including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times) after the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained that Kershaw’s toe discomfort was caused by a bone spur that has been lingering for multiple seasons. “Some starts it feels fine and it’s not impeding. Today certainly it was,” Roberts said.
Given the longstanding nature of the injury, it isn’t necessarily clear whether or not Kershaw will need to be placed on the 15-day injured list. Kershaw and Roberts both stated that some testing and evaluation will need to happen before a decision is made, and the Dodgers have some extra time to monitor the situation since Kershaw wasn’t scheduled to pitch until next Friday. L.A. is expected to call up Justin Wrobleski for a spot start on Sunday, and the team has an off-day on Thursday, giving Kershaw more opportunity to rest.
That said, it obviously wouldn’t be surprising if the Dodgers opted to put Kershaw on the IL even as a precautionary measure. Kershaw’s lengthy injury history is well-documented, and he didn’t make his 2024 debut until July 25 due to a lengthy recovery from shoulder surgery last November. The southpaw has posted a 4.50 ERA and only an 18% strikeout rate over 30 innings, and while it isn’t a big sample size, Kershaw’s fastball velocity has dropped to 89.9 mph.
Losing Kershaw to the IL would represent yet another blow to the injury-ravaged Los Angeles rotation. The Dodgers have still posted an 81-54 record despite having to account for multiple injured arms for the entirety of the season. Roberts said the team is very likely to make some roster moves today to add fresh arms to a bullpen that had to cover eight innings on Friday, and some extra breathing space will come Sunday when teams expand their rosters from 26 to 28 players.
Adding just relief depth, however, might not provide much help to an L.A. team that still has plenty of questions about its starting staff as the postseason approaches. Considering the Dodgers’ five-game lead in the NL West, it would take quite a collapse for the club to actually miss the playoffs, yet it certainly seems possible that Los Angeles could have another strong regular season undone by a lack of healthy arms in October. In terms of reinforcements, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has started a Triple-A rehab assignment and could be back within a couple of weeks, though it isn’t yet clear when Tyler Glasnow could return from a bout of right elbow tendinitis.
I’ve never heard of a player having a bone spur in their toe, would that have a similar recovery time to a bone spur in the elbow or would it be less?
We’ll find out toegether.
Probably a sesamoid bone in the big toe.
Is Kershaw really still a viable option for a team with WS aspirations? His constant injuries really put strain on the rest of the pitching staff and roster flexibility.
We’ve reached the dawn of when Kershaw is left off a Postseason roster.
This is sad but true.
Given all the recovery time from other long-term surgeries, you would have thought a logical forward-looking plan would have had that bone spur in toe issue dealt with a long-time ago. Nope, let’s just let it become an issue when everything else seems to be okay, finally.
It does seem pretty odd to let an injury like that go unaddressed.
BASEBALL comment: Time now for Kershaw to retire, after a HOF career. GENERAL comment: This should be a baseball app, and a refuge from politics, war commentary, and non- baseball current events. Don’t take the bait from those who stray from that.
Life is better when you mute the obvious trolls, just like MLBTR!
@Gwynning
Sorry but I’m a grumpy old man troll.
Yorkie, you’re more grumpy old man than troll, hence you’ve never felt the power of my superPadre block!
Note that “Marlins Fan” (whose cancerous comments in this thread have thankfully been removed) has now changed his name to “Candycane1” – I have a few theories as to why.
1). he’s a troll who’s too dumb to realize that once he’s muted, no matter how many times he changes his stupid name, he’s still muted
2) he’s a dumb troll who’s somehow thinks he’s smarter than everyone else
3) he’s a troll working through yet another account, finding ways to irritate people until he gets muted by so many people he starts muting everyone else, then makes yet another account
all of the above) he’s a dumb troll
bs
“Time now for Kershaw to retire,”
The time for any player to retire is when they want, not when some rando on the internet wants
DodgersBro, you’re right, it’s not my decision for Kershaw to retire. However, I suspect that the Dodger organization, followed by the rest of MLB, may soon be making that decision for Kershaw. The vast majority of retirement decisions are made by the owners, when they no longer offer MLB contracts.
He has a player option for 2025, so it’s his call for now.
high fly: Thanks, I didn’t know that.
Hangem’ up CK….its time, Father Time waits for NOBODY!
He’ll retire before embarrassing himself or the team, he’ll step away before he opts in! He has to much pride and respect for the Organization!
Yeah, and Kershaw was terrific just last year and has been ok this season and is only 36. Pretty sure owners will still give him a look.
Kershaw is closing in on 3000 strikeouts, so I’m being selfish and hoping he gets there soon!
I think for the team’s sake he has to go on the DL. He’s not pitching better than Wrobleski or Knack at this point and you can’t tolerate the risk of him making another unplanned bullpen game. Stone better be ready to go 8 tonight.
Kershaw just looks spent – It just seems that he is one foot into retirement at this point.
Dipping a toe into retirement?
He was very good just last year. I’m not so sure.
As a Padres fan, always have respected Kershaw. An ace in the truest sense of the word and definition. Fierce competitor and true thorn in the Pads side but man, a treat to watch. Always, envious that he wasn’t a Padre.
Even more an amazing individual outside of baseball, a man who gave nearly half his salary to charity and does a lot of work internationally with impoverished areas. The guy is a stud and when he hangs it up I will have nothing but respect for him.
Kudos Clayton Kershaw on a Hall of Fame career but also living an inspirational life outside of baseball.
Carlton’s 1986 season was rough. The Phillies were mediocre heading toward bad, and Carlton was a shell of the pitcher he used to be. He got released in June, and then bounced around the league with four different teams over two years.
It was sad to see a first ballot HoFer fall that far.
I remember Carlton bouncing around to the White Sox, Giants, and Twins it was really sad as he had lost all his stuff. It happens a lot Spahn stuck around a year or two to long. Glavine and Smoltz both stuck around a year to long. I don’t know if Kershaw is at the just sticking around point but it maybe time for another great one.
This guy is a lost cause. Out come the odd injuries to prolong a career that just needs to end. Time for hi. To go play beer league softball.
Kershaw doesn’t have “Closer” put away stuff! He’d get lit coming out of the bullpen! He’s a nibble pitcher in his waning years!
Kershaw goes on the IL. Casparius recalled.
Feel bad for Kershaw. Im sure he wants to contribute and hit that 3000 strikeout milestone.
If that has been going on for several years, it could partially explain why he’s struggled so much come playoff time. Also,the fact that playoff lineups are above average.
Listen to all the Dodger haters wishing he would retire!!
Frequent trips to the doctor, surgeries, rehab from injuries/ surgeries, and gets paid while not going to a day job. Seems like Kershaw is already at least semi- retired. Much better paid, however.
They are baseball haters. What they are doing here, I can’t imagine.
Honeywell activated
corresponding move?
Joe Kelly to IL
Party at the Buxton residence
If Kershaw is truly a team player he should volunteer to come out of the pen in relief and give his teammates a lift. This may be the last of his opportunities to win another World Series.
COOKED.