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Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw tests shoulder, still in ‘wait-and-see’ mode

July 2, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clayton Kershaw resumed throwing Saturday afternoon, playing catch in the outfield at Kauffman Stadium. But the likelihood of him making his scheduled start Monday seems low.

“It went fine,” Kershaw said. “Still no decision yet but good progress. Still kind of on the wait-and-see.”

Kershaw would not say how much relief he had gotten from an injection he received Thursday to treat inflammation in his pitching shoulder. After coming out of his Wednesday start after 79 pitches, his lowest since his first start of the season, Kershaw described his shoulder as feeling “a little cranky.”

Kershaw also said he has had “shoulder stuff” before, received injections for it before and pitched through it at times. The approaching All-Star break makes it less likely that the Dodgers will ask him to pitch through this flareup.

Manager Dave Roberts described Kershaw’s throwing session Saturday as “just okay” and said the Dodgers will have to make a decision Sunday on whether Kershaw can start Monday or not. He was also penciled in to start next Saturday against the Angels in the Dodgers’ final game before the All-Star break.

Sacrificing those two starts in order to give Kershaw an extended break seems a small price to pay to keep him healthy and strong for the long run. Kershaw has already made 16 starts and pitched 95⅓ innings, both team highs. The 35-year-old left-hander hasn’t made more than 22 starts or thrown as many as 127 innings in a regular season since 2019.

“Could he probably (pitch through it) next week? Yeah,” Roberts said. “But you’re trying to weigh how clean it is, how good it feels, versus like, is it okay to get a re-set? You know?”

If the Dodgers decide to put Kershaw on the injured list, he would be eligible to return for the first series after the All-Star break, July 14-16 in New York against the Mets.

The Dodgers optioned Michael Grove on Thursday, but the rookie right-hander did not join a minor-league team instead of reporting to the Dodgers’ training complex in Arizona. He would rejoin the team and start Monday if needed.

TAYLOR’S STATUS

Utilityman Chris Taylor is also in Arizona rehabbing his injured knee, according to Roberts. The manager said he didn’t expect Taylor to rejoin the Dodgers for their final homestand before the All-Star break and “(we’re) looking at a longer (absence) than we expected.”

“I don’t see him coming back before the All-Star break,” Roberts said.

Taylor came out of the game June 16 with the injury to his right knee and underwent an MRI the next day, which he said showed “wear and tear” and a bone bruise in the joint. He received a cortisone injection and returned to pinch hit in the both games against the Angels June 20 and 21. He went on the IL shortly after that.

ROSTER MOVES

Left-hander Julio Urias was activated from the injured list to start Saturday’s game. Urias had been sidelined since May 18 with a hamstring injury.

In order to make room for Urias on the active roster, left-hander Justin Bruihl was optioned to the minors.

Meanwhile at Triple-A Oklahoma City, second baseman Jahmai Jones exercised an opt-out clause in his contract and was given his release. Once a top prospect in the Angels’ system, Jones made the majors for three games with the Angels in 2020 and 26 games with the Baltimore Orioles in 2021.

The 25-year-old Jones was hitting .292 with OKC and ranked in the Pacific Coast League’s top 10 with a .427 on-base percentage and .969 OPS. He is a free agent now.