The Los Angeles Dodgers announced what millions of baseball fans around the world didn’t want to hear: they are sending star pitcher Clayton Kershaw to the injured list.
In this case, he is dealing with right SI joint inflammation, an injury in the pelvic zone.
The good news is that is not related to the flexor tendon issues that robbed him a big portion of his 2021 season.
The bad news is that we still don’t know how long he will be out, and that the injury is cutting an impressive start of the season by the veteran left-hander.
“Clayton Kershaw, who’s having another dominant season, goes on the IL with right SI joint inflammation. Kershaw is 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA this season with 32 strikeouts and three walks,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted on Friday afternoon.
Clayton Kershaw, who's having another dominant season, goes on the IL with right SI joint inflammation. Kershaw is 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA this season with 32 strikeouts and three walks.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 13, 2022
The Dodgers Badly Need Healthy Arms
Without the mid-90s fastball with which he dazzled in the 2010s, Kershaw’s primary weapons at this point are his impeccable command, his Hall of Fame curveball, and one of the most amazing pitching brains in the history of the game.
That’s not bad at all.
The timing of the injury is also unfortunate for the Dodgers, as their depth has really taken severe blows recently.
Trevor Bauer is suspended for two years, and Andrew Heaney, Dustin May, and Danny Duffy remain on the shelf.
Most of the injured pitchers are on their way back and should be able to return relatively soon (at least much sooner than Bauer, whose MLB future is in question), but right now, the Dodgers need healthy bodies.
The hope is that Kershaw doesn’t have to miss too much time with his injury.
NEXT: Dodgers Share Unfortunate Clayton Kershaw Update