Los Angeles Dodgers shut down Clayton Kershaw for postseason

LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw, who has spent the previous 5 weeks rehabbing an ailing toe, is not going to pitch this postseason irrespective of how far the Los Angeles Dodgers advance.

“We’re closing the door,” Roberts mentioned earlier than his membership’s 7-5 win over the San Diego Padres in Recreation 1 of the Nationwide League Division Sequence. “Clayton has executed every thing he can to maintain this factor shifting ahead and giving himself an opportunity to take part within the postseason. However the place he is at proper now, bodily, the foot, the toe simply just isn’t cooperating.”

Kershaw underwent shoulder surgical procedure final offseason and did not make his season debut till July 25, then exited his Aug. 30 begin within the second inning with what was subsequently identified as a bone spur in his left massive toe. Kershaw continued to maintain his pitching arm lively and had his spikes readjusted to assist compensate for the ache in his tender toe. However his throwing development was placed on maintain final week as a result of compensating for it was triggering ache in different elements of his physique as he went by his supply.

“It was getting fairly mentally exhausting to proceed to attempt to pitch,” Kershaw mentioned. “It simply stored hurting, so I obtained one other MRI. I made it worse, so there is no level at this level to maintain going. It is unlucky. Clearly, tremendous pissed off. That is actually it. It isn’t getting higher, so I can not pitch.”

The Dodgers went with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and Landon Knack as their starters for his or her NLDS showdown towards the rival Padres, with Yamamoto and Flaherty beginning Video games 1 and a couple of, respectively. The one mildly stunning roster resolution was going with rookie right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, who has made solely three appearances however throws his fastball within the triple digits, over veteran Joe Kelly.

Roberts revealed Kelly suffered a shoulder harm whereas throwing a changeup on the final pitch of a simulated sport earlier this week. Kelly’s shoulder harm is much like the one suffered by Brusdar Graterol, an ailment that opened a spot for one more younger right-hander in Michael Grove. The Dodgers’ solely likelihood of getting Kelly accessible will probably be in the event that they advance to the World Sequence; Roberts mentioned he wouldn’t be accessible for the NL Championship Sequence both.

When the Dodgers’ season ends, Kershaw, who would possibly want surgical procedure on his left massive toe, will as soon as once more ponder whether or not he’ll retire or pitch the next season. His contract features a $5 million participant choice that comes with as much as $20 million in further efficiency incentives.

“My shoulder feels nice, again feels nice, all that stuff,” Kershaw, 36, mentioned. “I do not know. Clearly, I do not wish to preserve getting harm on a regular basis. It isn’t enjoyable to do this. However I additionally actually like to pitch too. Simply obtained to weigh every thing and discuss it, determine it out.”