Dodgers Won’t Have Clayton Kershaw in First Round of Postseason, If Not Longer
Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw won’t be available to the Dodgers in the first round of the postseason — and maybe not until 2025.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Thursday at Dodger Stadium that Kershaw will not be a “viable” option to pitch in the next couple weeks because of a bone spur in his left big toe.
The Dodgers were not necessarily counting on Kershaw, who hasn’t pitched since Aug. 30 because of the nagging injury. But the left-hander had been throwing bullpens — sometimes wearing a walking boot — in hopes that his toe would cooperate with his desire to pitch in the postseason.
Kershaw, 36, is 2-2 with a 4.50 earned-run average in 30 innings across seven starts in 2024. He missed all of the season’s first half rehabilitating from offseason surgery to repair the glenohumeral ligaments in his left shoulder.
A three-time Cy Young Award winner and the 2014 National League MVP, Kershaw returned to the Dodgers on an incentive-laden $5 million contract in February. He holds a $10 million player option for 2025 that will likely be exercised regardless of whether or not he’s available in the postseason.
Kershaw’s extended layoff has further depleted a Dodgers rotation that is without Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone, who were counted on to stabilize their injury-riddled pitching staff. Earlier Thursday, the Dodgers placed reliever Brusdar Graterol on the injured list.
The Dodgers have also lost Dustin May, River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan and Kyle Hurt to season-ending injuries — all of whom could have factored into the team’s October pitching plans given the chance.
Instead, they figure to trot out a rotation helmed by Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and followed by Walker Buehler, Landon Knack, and perhaps Tony Gonsolin, who is one year removed from Tommy John surgery and attempting to convert his success on the rehab trail to a major league mound.
The Dodgers will try to clinch the National League West title — and a bye through the best-of-three NL Wild Card round — by beating the San Diego Padres at home Thursday night.
Win or lose, the Dodgers will have three more chances against the Colorado Rockies after today to whittle their magic number down from 2.
Photo Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
