LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw’s hopes of recovering from his toe injury in time to help a needy Los Angeles Dodgers rotation at some point this postseason have come to an end. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday, ahead of Game 1 of the National League Division Series, that the team is “closing the door’ on his potential return.
Kershaw underwent shoulder surgery last offseason and didn’t make his season debut until July 25, then exited his Aug. 30 start in the second inning with what was subsequently diagnosed as a bone spur in his left big toe. Kershaw continued to keep his arm active and had his spikes readjusted in order to help compensate for the pain in his tender toe. But his throwing progression was put on hold last week because compensating for it was triggering pain in other parts of his body as he went through his delivery.
That issue seemingly did not resolve itself.
“Clayton has done everything he can to keep this thing moving forward and giving himself a chance to participate in the postseason,” Roberts said. “But where he’s at right now, physically, the foot, the toe just is not cooperating. It’s actually getting worse. Yeah, this is it for Clayton for 2024.”
The Dodgers went with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and Landon Knack as their starters for their NLDS showdown against the rival San Diego Padres, with Yamamoto and Flaherty starting Games 1 and 2, respectively. The only mildly surprising roster decision was going with rookie right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, who has made only three appearances but throws his fastball in the triple digits, over veteran Joe Kelly.
Roberts revealed Kelly suffered a shoulder injury while throwing a changeup on the last pitch of a simulated game earlier this week. Kelly’s shoulder injury is similar to the one suffered by Brusdar Graterol, an ailment that opened a spot for another young right-hander in Michael Grove. The Dodgers’ only chance of having Kelly would be if they advance to the World Series; Roberts said he would not be available for the NL Championship Series, either.
The Dodgers also were unsure whether Freddie Freeman would be in the lineup when Roberts addressed the media at about 1:15 p.m. PT. Freeman, who suffered a sprained right ankle on Sept. 26, went through a workout on Thursday and came out of it confident he would start at first base in Game 1. But that has since changed.
If Freeman isn’t in the lineup, the Dodgers would shift Max Muncy to first base and start Enrique Hernandez at third base against Padres right-hander Dylan Cease.
“I’m still hopeful,” Roberts said of Freeman. “Maybe not as hopeful as I was yesterday.”