Dodgers followers acquired nice information concerning veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw at the moment, as supervisor Dave Roberts informed reporters (together with Jack Harris of the L.A. Occasions) this afternoon. The lefty pitched three innings with out giving up a success in a rehab begin on the Triple-A degree yesterday, placing out 5 whereas strolling only one. In response to Roberts, Kershaw is about to try to construct on that sturdy outing on Friday with a four-to-five inning begin. If that subsequent rehab begin goes properly, the supervisor went on to recommend that the lefty may then return to the large leagues to make his 2024 debut.
A return to the Dodgers shortly after the All Star break can be a unbelievable consequence for Kershaw, who needed to be shut down from his rehab simply three weeks in the past on account of lingering soreness in his shoulder. Final night time’s begin was his first since ramping again up after that shut down, and the truth that he’s already seemingly on the cusp of a return means that the soreness that had sidelined him has evaporated totally. The longer term Corridor of Famer’s return to motion can’t come quickly sufficient for the Dodgers, because the dire state of the membership’s rotation combine has led them towards calling up right-handed prospect River Ryan simply 16 1/3 innings into his season on the Triple-A degree.
With each Kershaw and Ryan seemingly poised to affix the membership’s rotation as reinforcements within the aftermath of the break, the Dodgers are certainly hoping the pair can mix with the present quartet of veteran James Paxton and rookies Gavin Stone, Landon Knack, and Justin Wrobleski to deal with beginning duties till ace righty Tyler Glasnow is able to return from the injured listing. Walker Buehler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are additionally each on the IL however anticipated to return to the majors sooner or later this season, whereas teenager Bobby Miller was despatched to Triple-A just lately regardless of the thinned-out rotation combine on account of a brutal 8.07 ERA in seven begins this 12 months.
Kershaw isn’t the one veteran assist the Dodgers will likely be coming back from the IL shortly after the break, as Harris additionally relays that (per Roberts) outfielder Jason Heyward will likely be able to return to motion after the All Star break and won’t require a rehab task earlier than returning to the majors. The 34-year-old has taken a step again this 12 months relative to his surprisingly sturdy 2023 marketing campaign however has nonetheless been roughly league common on the plate with a .203/.299/.398 slash line in 42 video games this season.
Heyward’s return ought to add depth to an outfield combine that has relied on struggling teenager James Outman in current days. Outman entered the marketing campaign more likely to be an everyday within the outfield for the Dodgers on the heels of a wonderful 2023 season however struggled brutally within the early weeks of the season, main the Dodgers to possibility him in mid-Might. Whereas he’s improved upon his beforehand brutal .147/.250/.266 slash line since returning earlier this month, Outman’s .273/.333/.273 slash line in six video games since coming again to the majors hasn’t precisely impressed confidence in his capacity to reclaim an everyday function with the Dodgers, and the return of a steadier bat like Heyward’s needs to be a aid for the Dodgers crew that has at occasions struggled to get manufacturing from the underside of its lineup this 12 months.
Heyward is joined in making progress in the direction of a return by celebrity Mookie Betts, who Roberts informed reporters (together with Harris) has begun to subject grounders as he rehab his fractured left hand. Betts has been on the shelf since mid-June with a 6-8 week restoration time anticipated and isn’t anticipated again till someday in August. He appears to nonetheless be kind of on observe for that return, with Roberts noting (in keeping with MLB.com’s Damage Tracker) that the 31-year-old is “excited” in regards to the progress he’s making.
Betts was within the midst of a MVP-caliber season previous to his harm, slashing an unimaginable .304/.405/.488 in 72 video games that’s made all of the extra spectacular by the truth that he was concurrently making a comparatively seamless transition to turning into the on a regular basis shortstop in L.A. this season. Miguel Rojas has regarded good on each side of the ball in an expanded function since Betts went on the shelf, nonetheless, which means that the star may spent extra time at a place extra acquainted to him equivalent to second base or proper subject upon his return.
