Dodgers News: Clayton Kershaw Bullpen Session Went Well, Finally Ready to Make Start
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will return to the mound Saturday against the Seattle Mariners after missing a scheduled start this week. The 35-year-old lefty hasn’t made an appearance since Sept. 5, which Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stressed was not due to an injury, but instead was a decision driven by matchups.
As Doug Padilla of The Orange County Register notes, Kershaw’s fastball was down to an average of 88.4 mph in his most recent start against the Miami Marlins. Kershaw spent six weeks on the injured list with a shoulder injury that left the star pitcher perplexed.
After Kershaw completed a 30+ pitch bullpen session Tuesday, Roberts said he felt optimistic about his upcoming start.
“It was good,” Roberts said. “He threw his regular low-30s ’pen. He used his entire pitch mix. I think he came out of it well so I feel good about him making that start on Saturday.”
(Via The Orange County Register)
With the Dodgers in a comfortable position as far as their standings in the playoff race, Kershaw will be much more useful in October than in the waning weeks of the regular season. The Dodgers are 13 games ahead of the Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West at the time of this writing and possess the second-best record in the National League.
“I just want him to go out there and get as many outs as he can and I feel good about him making that start and putting us in a position to win a baseball game,” Roberts said.
(Via The Orange County Register)
With Julio Urias facing felony domestic violence charges and the recent news that Walker Buehler will not be making any postseason appearances for the Dodgers in 2023, making sure Kershaw stays healthy is paramount for a Dodger team set up for late-season success.
Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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