Clayton Kershaw anticipates a return to Dodgers’ rotation next week
The Los Angeles Dodgers currently hold a two-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West and, ideally, they would like to keep it that way.
Luckily for them, they’re about to get some reinforcements in the form of right fielder Yasiel Puig, who was called up on Friday, and ace lefty Clayton Kershaw, who looked solid in three innings of work during a rehab start for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Class-A) on Saturday.
Kershaw, who had been shut down due to lower-back discomfort from a herniated disk, threw 34 pitches in his three innings of work. He struck out five and gave up only a single infield hit, while his fastball hit 94 MPH.
After his three innings of work, Kershaw headed to the bullpen where he tossed 50 more pitches before finally shutting it down for the day.
Speaking with reporters after the game, Kershaw said he felt good and fully anticipates returning to the Dodgers’ rotation their next time through.
“I think I’m pitching in four days, or five days,” Kershaw told the Los Angeles Daily News. “I think they’re still ironing some stuff out, but at this point it’s still kind of a pitch count deal, making sure that I can contribute and not just go out there. It helps that it’s September, and we’ve got a lot of guys out there in the bullpen.
“We’re still working the kinks out, but we’ll see.”
If Kershaw does return to the rotation next week, it will likely come on Friday against the Miami Marlins. It will be the first time he’s appeared on an MLB mound since a June 26 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
