Clayton Kershaw has been griding through his career with a toughness that is unmatched. He has been mentally tough to get through his playoff woes and physically tough to work through injuries.
After making his seventh start of the season last Friday, Kershaw was placed on the 15-day injured list with big toe inflammation on his left foot.
According to Jack Harris of the L.A. Times, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw is likely going to start wearing a walking boot to help him recover from the effects of a bone spur.
On Tuesday, Harris’ post on X (formerly Twitter) said: “Clayton Kershaw came out on the field to play catch in normal shoes earlier, then went inside, put on a walking boot, and is now back out here throwing with it on. Dave Roberts said over the weekend that he thought Kershaw would need a boot as he recovers from his toe injury.”
The veteran southpaw was pulled after just over an inning on Friday night because of his toe that was impeding his ability to push off the rubber. Roberts said after the game that the problem is a bone spur Kershaw has been dealing with for “maybe a couple of years.” Normally, he keeps the pain under control with preventative treatment.
“Each day we’ll know more,” Roberts said on Saturday. “Obviously, we’ve got 15 days to kind of see where we’re at,” Roberts said. “The calendar is working against us, certainly as a starter, but I don’t think 15 days will cut into the buildup [to get back to] where he’s been.”
Kershaw made his season debut on July 25 after rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. Since then, he has posted a 4.50 ERA with 24 strikeouts over 30 innings.
“I think in Clayton’s head, he just wants to get this to subside and get back as soon as he can,” said Roberts. “We just won’t know until we can get the swelling down.”
Roberts isn’t ready to entertain the idea of Kershaw missing the postseason roster.
“That’s not where any of our heads are at right now,” Roberts added. “Our expectation is that he will [be ready in time for the postseason].”
If Kershaw’s ERA holds, it would be only the fourth time in his career he finished a season with an ERA above 3.00. If it ends up over 4.00, it would be the first time since his rookie year with the Dodgers.
