Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Shows rust in season debut
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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.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Activated for season debut
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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.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Starting Saturday
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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.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Looks ready for 2025 debut
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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.
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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.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Unhittable in latest rehab start
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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: Works five frames in rehab start
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Kershaw (toe/knee) tossed five innings in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out four batters.
Kershaw was originally scheduled to make this start Tuesday, but inclement weather pushed his appearance back a day. The veteran lefty got through four scoreless frames before wilting a bit in the fifth, when he gave up two homers and all three of his runs. Despite the late fade, this was another promising outing for Kershaw, as he got up to 66 pitches and five innings (his first two rehab starts went three frames apiece). Kershaw is clearly making progress toward a return to the big-league club, but he's not eligible to be activated off the injured list until May 17, so he figures to make at least a couple more starts in the minors over the next two weeks.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Another three-inning rehab start
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Kershaw (toe/knee) covered three innings Tuesday for Double-A Tulsa in his second rehab start, allowing one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out four.
After tossing three scoreless frames in his first rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 16, Kershaw moved down a level and matched that innings count, but he doubled his pitch count from 30 to 60. Since he opened the season on the 60-day injured list while recovering from left toe and left knee surgeries, Kershaw won't be eligible for activation until May 17, so he'll likely build up to around five or six innings and 80 to 90 pitches over two or three more rehab starts before making his 2025 debut.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Making rehab start Tuesday
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Kershaw (toe/knee) told reporters Saturday that his next rehab start will take place Tuesday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Kershaw made his first rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, tossing 30 pitches in three scoreless inning while allowing two hits and striking out two without issuing a walk. Kershaw may stay in Oklahoma City for his next rehab start or move to Double-A Tulsa depending on the weather report. The veteran southpaw continues to progress in his recovery from offseason surgery on his left knee and a left big toe injury.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Making rehab start Wednesday
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Kershaw (toe/knee) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Kershaw isn't eligible to return from the injured list until May 17, but the fact that he's already been cleared to begin a rehab assignment is an encouraging sign that he may be able to return around then. While the Dodgers have a great deal of rotation depth, the 37-year-old lefty still figures to have a starting role once healthy.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Arm 'ready to go,' toe not there
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Kershaw (toe/knee) said Monday that his arm is "ready to go," but his surgically repaired left big toe "isn't all the way there," David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
The veteran lefty also had offseason surgery on his left knee, but it sounds like the toe is the bigger obstacle he needs to overcome. Kershaw faced hitters at the Dodgers' spring training complex in Arizona last Thursday and will do so again this Thursday. He is already on the 60-day injured list and thus not eligible to return until late May. There is no timetable for Kershaw's season debut.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Shifted to 60-day IL
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The Dodgers transferred Kershaw (toe/knee) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Kershaw was initially placed on the 15-day injured list prior to Game 1 of the Tokyo Series, which seemingly indicated that the veteran southpaw was ahead of schedule in his rehab from offseason surgeries on his left knee and left big toe. However, he has now moved to the 60-day IL, which opens up a roster spot for Matt Sauer and keeps Kershaw on his expected return timeline. The 36-year-old is now ineligible to return to Los Angeles until May 27, though he's hopeful to be fully healthy by then.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Starting season on 15-day IL
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Kershaw (toe) was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
It was reported earlier in camp that Kershaw expected to begin the regular season on the 60-day IL, so this may be a sign that he's further along in his recovery than expected. Even so, the Dodgers won't make any moves to rush him back from offseason left toe and left knee surgery.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Feeling good after surgeries
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Kershaw said Thursday that he's "not 100 percent yet" but has felt good while throwing off the mound "a couple times" this spring since undergoing surgeries in November on his left big toe and left knee, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Kershaw is unlikely to be cleared to pitch in games at any point during Cactus League play, as the southpaw has already acknowledged that he expects to begin the season on the 60-day injured list, which would delay his 2025 debut until at least late May. That said, he seems to have thus far avoided any snags during his spring throwing progression, and he could be cleared to resume facing hitters in live batting practice before camp comes to a close in late March.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Expected to go on 60-day IL
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Kershaw (toe/knee) said Thursday that he expects to be placed on the 60-day injured list but is hopeful of being ready once those 60 days are up, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Kershaw underwent surgery on both his left knee and left toe during the offseason, but he has passed a physical and his one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Dodgers became official Thursday. The future Hall of Famer has been throwing on flat ground, but it's not clear when he might be ready for mound work. Kershaw will be brought along slowly, which is a luxury the Dodgers can afford given their rotation depth.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Reaches new deal
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Kershaw (toe/knee) agreed to a one-year contract with the Dodgers and is in camp Tuesday, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. The veteran lefty will earn between $5 million and $10 million guaranteed on the deal, which is expected to contain multiple performance-related bonuses.
The 36-year-old declined his 2025 player option in November, but it's always been the expectation that he would remain in Los Angeles. Kershaw underwent surgery on both his left knee and left toe during the offseason and still has to receive a physical exam before the deal is finalized. He doesn't have an official return timeline but isn't expected to be in game-ready shape by Opening Day.
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Clayton Kershaw: Begins throwing progression
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Kershaw (toe) has begun throwing and remains in contact with the Dodgers about returning to the organization, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said at the team's DodgerFest event Saturday that Kershaw and the organization are working to finalize a reunion. Kershaw had surgery on both his left toe and his left knee in the offseason and isn't expected to be ready to pitch by the start of the campaign, but he's publicly stated that he intends to return to Los Angeles for what would be his 18th big-league season. Given that timeline and the Dodgers' loaded rotation, there doesn't seem to be urgency to work out contract details, but it would be a major shock if Kershaw were to pitch for anyone except Los Angeles in 2025.
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Clayton Kershaw: Declines option
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Kershaw (toe) became a free agent after declining his player option Monday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Kershaw has publicly stated that he intends to pitch for the Dodgers next season, but he'll officially become a free agent while the two sides work toward a new contract. He made seven starts for LA during the 2024 campaign, posting a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 24 strikeouts over 30.0 innings before his season was ended due to bone spurs in his left big toe.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Scheduled for surgery
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Kershaw said Friday that he will undergo surgery on his toe and left knee Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Kershaw's season came to an early end in late August due to bone spurs in his left big toe, and his toe surgery Wednesday will address the issue as well as a ruptured plantar plate. He has also been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee, which will require an additional procedure. A timeline for his return likely won't be available until after the operations, though the veteran lefty confidently said Friday that he will pitch for the Dodgers in 2025. Kershaw is 32 strikeouts away from reaching 3,000 for his career.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Plans to continue pitching in 2025
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Kershaw (toe) said Monday in an interview on FOX that he plans to continue his baseball career in 2025, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Kershaw returned from left shoulder surgery in late July to make seven starts but saw his season end in late August due to a bone spur in his left big toe. It's not clear whether he might need surgery on the toe or if it will heal from rest, but Kershaw noted Monday that his shoulder and elbow feel "great." Kershaw has a $7.5 million player option for 2025 and it's not known if he just plans to pick that up or he and the Dodgers might work out a different agreement. Slated to turn 37 in March, Kershaw posted a 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 24:9 K:BB over 30 innings in 2024.
