Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is evidently not progressing as hoped.
He has been suffering some inflammation on his SI joint.
SI means “sacroiliac”: it’s an injury in the pelvis area.
The team hoped he would be able to throw a bullpen this week, but those plans are murky right now.
“Clayton Kershaw won’t throw a bullpen today, Dave Roberts said. He doesn’t know when he will. That rules out the chances of it just being a 15-day IL stint for Kershaw, though he will keep throwing,” The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya tweeted.
Clayton Kershaw won’t throw a bullpen today, Dave Roberts said. He doesn’t know when he will. That rules out the chances of it just being a 15-day IL stint for Kershaw, though he will keep throwing.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 18, 2022
While a recent MRI showed no structural damage, it’s obvious Kershaw is still feeling at least some discomfort, and if that’s the case, he will likely be limited to some light throwing.
Kershaw Is Not Ready For Mound Work
The veteran left-hander is currently in the playing catch stage of his recovery.
He is doing it on flat ground, as he is not ready for mound work yet.
His timeline for returning isn’t set in stone and will obviously depend on his progress and how he is feeling, but early June seems reasonable if there aren’t setbacks.
The Dodgers are probably thankful the injury wasn’t related to his elbow, forearm, or shoulder, though, so given that they are extremely likely to make the postseason, they are probably taking things slow with Kershaw’s recovery.
They want to have him ready to rock with the playoffs in mind, so they won’t mind waiting an extra week or two to make sure he is pain-free.
The future Hall of Famer has a 4-0 record and a 1.80 ERA in 30 innings, with 32 strikeouts and an excellent 0.73 WHIP.
Even at 34, he remains as dominant as ever, but he needs to get healthy at his own pace.
NEXT: Mookie Betts Makes History With The Most Important Stat Of All