Dodgers: Kershaw Has Lower Back Strain, Lands On 10 Day DL

The Dodgers ace returned and threw 62 pitches in 5 innings on Thursday, only to have felt pain in his back. Dodgers scheduled an MRI for Friday, and results revealed a lower back strain. The Dodgers have placed him on the 10 day DL. He missed 5 weeks with this same injury last year. It leaves the starting rotation extremely thin, and the Dodgers without their ace.

This definitely make the emergence of Walker Buehler and Ross Stripling a catalyst to the recent success of this Dodger team, and puts pressure on the rest of the staff to carry the torch. Can the young talent carry this team through the dog days of summer? Can the Dodgers hope to have Kershaw, Maeda, and Hill back at a level where they contribute immediately? As these questions mount, the Dodgers young talent appears ready for the task at hand.

Analysis

Clayton Kershaw has missed time with this injury before. Lower back issues can be difficult to navigate and extremely unpredictable. Clayton Kershaw was well under 90mph on most of his fastballs yesterday, with his sliders resting in the low 80’s. His signature leg kick in his windup looked visibly abbreviated. Whether this is a sign of his long term health is unknown, but very concerning to the Dodgers and their fans.