Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Clayton Kershaw hasn’t pitched in spring training games yet.
He was expected to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, but there wasn’t an agreement between team, country, and the player’s camp.
He is not injured at the moment, but the Dodgers just want to bring him along slowly.
The southpaw has kept his arm in shape in Dodgers camp, but he is now ready for live action.
He needs it, too, in order to be ready for Opening Day.
“Dodgers pitching schedule shows Clayton Kershaw is slated to pitch tomorrow against the Angels. First Cactus League action this year,” insider Fabian Ardaya tweeted.
Dodgers pitching schedule shows Clayton Kershaw is slated to pitch tomorrow against the Angels. First Cactus League action this year.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 9, 2023
Whenever he takes the hill, Kershaw has shown time and time again that he is still elite despite being almost 35 years old.
In 2022, he had a 2.28 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, and a 137/23 K/BB ratio over 126.1 innings in his 22 starts for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers are not wrong to be very careful with him.
He has suffered several injury issues over the last few years, mainly in his back and his left arm.
That arm is worth millions of dollars and a whole lot of wins, so it’s best for them to err on the side of caution.
The idea should be getting him ready to pitch at least five innings in his first start of the regular season, then ramp up from there.
As long as he is healthy, the Dodgers will have a chance to retain their NL West title despite the up-and-coming San Diego Padres.
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