Dodgers Lefty Clayton Kershaw Shut Down Due to Lingering Soreness During Rehab

Los Angeles Dodgers' left-handed pitcher, Clayton Kershaw, who had recently completed one rehab start, has encountered a setback in his recovery process. It was initially planned for Kershaw to engage in another rehab start on Tuesday. However, he has been sidelined due to persistent soreness, as reported by the OC Register.

As a result of the setback, Kershaw will refrain from throwing for a minimum of one week before attempting to resume his rehabilitation activities. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the situation, stating, "It's not surprising. It's not perfect, but it's not surprising in the fact that there is a little bit of a regression in the throwing process," via the OC Register. Although Kershaw underwent an MRI which did not reveal any new issues, the process of recovery following surgery can be fraught with challenges and setbacks.

Prolonged Rehabilitation

Last November, Kershaw underwent surgery on his left shoulder to address glenohumeral ligament and capsule concerns. Given the nature of such a procedure, the recovery process is arduous with the potential for numerous obstacles, as highlighted by Roberts. Additionally, Kershaw's extensive career, spanning almost 3,000 innings pitched in both regular season and playoff games, makes setbacks during rehabilitation less surprising.

Rehabilitation Progress

In Kershaw's initial rehab appearance, he completed three innings while throwing 36 pitches. To be considered for activation to the major league roster, he would need to demonstrate the capacity to pitch at least five innings and throw around 75 pitches. The Dodgers had initially anticipated his potential return in August, and it is believed that the recent one-week setback does not significantly alter this timeline.

The Dodgers are contending with multiple pitching injuries, including those of Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin, who have been on the injured list throughout the year, along with the recent addition of Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Despite these challenges, the team maintains a strong 8.5-game lead in the NL West with a current record of 48-31 as of Monday.