Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Strikes out seven in win
Rotowire
Kershaw (1-0) earned the win against the Cardinals on Sunday, allowing one run on six hits and no walks with seven strikeouts over five innings.
Kershaw opened with four scoreless innings before giving up a run in the fifth. The veteran southpaw generated 12 whiffs on 82 pitches and did not issue a walk for the first time in five starts this season. He'll carry a 4.35 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 15:9 K:BB across 20.2 innings into a home matchup with the Giants next weekend.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Slight struggles versus Mets
Rotowire
Kershaw allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out two over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Mets on Tuesday.
This wasn't a good start for Kershaw, but an error that extended the Mets' fifth inning was what ultimately did him in. On the positive side, Kershaw threw a season-high 92 pitches (60 strikes) in this outing. He's at a 5.17 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 8:9 K:BB through 15.2 innings over four starts as he continues to work his way back to 100 percent after offseason knee and toe surgeries.
Kershaw came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Guardians, allowing one run on six hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out three.
The veteran left-hander tossed 42 of 74 pitches for strikes before exiting the mound with the Dodgers in the lead, but a blown save from Tanner Scott denied Kershaw his first win of 2025. It was the first time in three trips to the mound that Kershaw has lasted five innings, although his prior outing was cut short by rain. He'll take a 4.91 ERA and 6:6 K:BB through 11 innings into his next start, which lines up to come at home next week against the Mets.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Start cut short by rain
Rotowire
Kershaw came away with a no-decision in Friday's 7-5 extra-innings win over the Mets, walking one and striking out one over two scoreless innings.
A 98-minute rain delay ended Kershaw's night prematurely, but the veteran lefty looked sharp in his second start of the season as he tossed 14 of 26 pitches for strikes in his two frames, lowering his ERA to 7.50. The abbreviated outing might give the Dodgers the option of shuffling their rotation slightly to deploy Kershaw on four days' rest rather than using a sixth starter ahead of their next off day May 29, but for now he's scheduled to make his next trip to the mound at home next weekend against the Yankees.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Shows rust in season debut
Rotowire
Kershaw allowed five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out two over four innings in a no-decision versus the Angels on Saturday.
Kershaw struggled in his major-league season debut after a largely successful five-start rehab stint while recovering from left knee and left toe surgeries. The Angels got three of their runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning, marking a rough opening frame for the southpaw. Kershaw ended with 83 pitches (48 strikes) in the contest. Assuming he feels fine coming out of Saturday, he is tentatively projected for a road start versus the Mets next weekend. Even if he has to ease his way back to full fitness, Kershaw's presence is a welcome sight for a Dodgers rotation that has been hammered by injuries early in 2025.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Activated for season debut
Rotowire
The Dodgers reinstated Kershaw (toe/knee) from the 60-day injured list ahead of his start against the Angels on Saturday.
Kershaw will be pitching on a big-league mound for the first time since August after undergoing surgeries on his left toe and left knee. The future Hall of Famer made five rehab starts across three minor-league levels, finishing his assignment with a 2.57 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB across 21 innings. His first MLB test of 2025 will come against an Angels lineup that ranks near the bottom of the league with a .664 OPS. In order to make room for Kershaw on the active roster, the Dodgers optioned Ryan Loutos to Triple-A and transferred Blake Snell (shoulder) to the 60-day IL.
Kershaw (toe/knee) is expected to start Saturday's contest against the Angels, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Kershaw has missed the entirety of the 2025 season to this point while recovering from left toe and left knee surgeries, but he now appears to be all set to return to action over the weekend. The left-hander has made three rehab starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City, posting a 3.75 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with eight strikeouts over 12 innings. Kershaw was limited to just seven starts with the Dodgers during the 2024 regular season, producing a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, both of which represented career highs for the 18-year veteran. He'll likely operate under some sort of pitch count restriction in his return versus the Angels.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Looks ready for 2025 debut
Rotowire
Kershaw (toe/knee) allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out two batters over four innings in his rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Making what was likely his fifth and final rehab start, Kershaw was generally efficient (35 strikes on 57 pitches) and topped out at 88.8 miles per hour with his fastball. Though Kershaw has never been the most overpowering pitcher, he averaged 90 mph with his fastball over his seven starts with the Dodgers in 2024, so the diminished velocity he's shown during his rehab assignment means that any success that he might have at the big-league level this season could hinge even more heavily on inducing weak contact rather than making bats miss. From a workload standpoint, Kershaw isn't expected to face any major restrictions when he returns from the 60-day injured list, as he has gotten stretched out to six innings and 66 pitches over the course of his minor-league assignment. He's expected to be activated when first eligible next Sunday to make his 2025 Dodgers debut in a home start against the Angels.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Unhittable in latest rehab start
Rotowire
Kershaw (toe/knee) threw six scoreless and hitless innings for the Dodgers' rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate Tuesday. He walked one batter and struck out four.
Kershaw's previous rehab outing was with Triple-A Oklahoma City, but he pitched in Arizona on Tuesday and predictably dominated against a slew of teenage hitters. The future Hall of Famer has appeared in four minor-league rehab games to date, allowing a total of four runs over 17 innings while posting a 14:3 K:BB. Kershaw said before beginning his rehab assignment that his elbow was doing well but that his surgically repaired toe was further behind, though manager Dave Roberts has since said that the southpaw has felt better after each minor-league outing, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Kershaw isn't eligible to come off the 60-day IL until May 18, so he'll likely pitch in at least one more minor-league game before making his return to the big club.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Next rehab start could be last
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Kershaw's (toe/knee) will make a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday in what could be the lefty's final outing in the minors before returning from the 60-day injured list, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Kershaw spun six hitless innings in his most recent outing with the Dodgers' rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate Tuesday and has allowed a total of four runs over 17 innings while posting a 14:3 K:BB in four rehab starts. The veteran left-hander is eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list May 18, and signs are pointing to him making his season debut that day against the Angels.
