Concerning rumors have surfaced about Clayton Kershaw’s injury with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed back Clayton Kershaw ahead of the MLB trade deadline, hoping their legendary starter could bolster a rotation heavily affected by injuries. However, it now seems the team has serious concerns about their long-time ace.
Kershaw, 36, underwent surgery in November 2023 to repair damage to the ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder. The Dodgers re-signed him in February, knowing he would miss the first half of the regular season.
In his career, Kershaw boasts a 2.49 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2,950 strikeouts, and a 210-93 record over 2,720.1 innings pitched. Unfortunately, he faced setbacks in his recovery, not making his first appearance with the Dodgers until July 25. In his first two starts after returning from the injured list, Kershaw has allowed 9 earned runs and 18 baserunners in just 7.2 innings.
Even more worrying, as reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Dodgers are privately troubled by Kershaw’s performance since his return.
Kershaw is under contract for a $5 million salary in 2024, with a $5 million player option for 2025. The 6-foot-4 left-hander is averaging barely 90 mph on his fastball, according to FanGraphs, and his splitter velocity has dropped by nearly 2 mph (from 84.4 to 82.6) compared to last season. Additionally, Kershaw has recorded only a 29 percent chase rate and a 20.5 percent whiff rate, per Baseball Savant.
While the Dodgers recently welcomed back Tyler Glasnow and made a trade for Jack Flaherty before the deadline, starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto is still about a month away from returning. If Kershaw doesn’t improve, Los Angeles could face serious issues with its pitching depth due to potential injuries.
