Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has been battling a shoulder issue in recent weeks, but the team does not expect him to miss any time at the start of the season.
While the Dodgers have not formally announced an Opening Day starter, manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Kershaw has a bullpen session scheduled for Monday and should be ready for Opening Day on March 28.
Dave Roberts said Clayton Kershaw will play catch today + throw a bullpen tomorrow. He hasn’t thrown off a mound in a couple weeks. Roberts said he expects Kershaw — and Walker Buehler — to be ready for start of the season. Buehler will throw another live BP Tuesday or Wednesday.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) March 10, 2019
Kershaw and the Dodgers have consistently downplayed the shoulder injury, but Roberts recently acknowledged that the left-hander might not be ready when the season begins. The latest update is at least a good indicator that Kershaw has not experienced any setbacks.
As Roberts noted, Walker Buehler is also expected to be ready for Opening Day. The Dodgers could decide to give him the honor of starting if they want to play things safe with Kershaw, and Buehler has already made it clear he would be blown away if that happens.
