The Dodgers are scheduled to start Recreation 1 of the NLDS in opposition to the Padres later this night, and among the many pitchers notably absent from their roster for the collection is veteran southpaw Clayton Kershaw. That’s not a shock provided that he was beforehand mentioned to be focusing on a return someday in mid-October, however at the moment supervisor Dave Roberts instructed reporters (together with Invoice Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that the Dodgers will truly be with out Kershaw for your complete postseason. Plunkett provides that, in line with Roberts, the bone spurs in Kershaw’s large toe haven’t improved since he went on the IL again in August, including that issues may very well have worsened since then.
The information formally brings to an finish an injury-plagues season for Kershaw, who leaves the 2024 marketing campaign behind with a 4.50 ERA (87 ERA+) and three.87 FIP in 30 innings of labor throughout seven begins whereas hanging out simply 18% of opponents. That’s by far the bottom strikeout charge of his profession and the primary time his ERA+ has been beneath common since his rookie marketing campaign again in 2008, when his 98 ERA+ got here in only a hair beneath common. Whereas low stroll and residential run charges assist to salvage a few of Kershaw’s peripheral numbers, 2024 will nonetheless go down because the worst season of the veteran’s profession up to now, although given the small pattern its tough to attract conclusion about his capacity when wholesome sufficient to take the mound.
Kershaw holds a $10MM participant possibility for the 2025 season, although after often considering retirement over the previous few offseasons it’s not but clear whether or not or not he’ll train that possibility or wait to resolve on his future till later within the winter. Ought to he resolve to proceed his profession into 2025, the long run Corridor of Famer will certainly be welcomed again by the one crew he’s ever identified throughout an offseason the place the membership is certain to pursue rotation additions with solely Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Gavin Stone locked into the 2025 beginning rotation alongside Shohei Ohtani, whose return to the mound will doubtless necessitate transferring to a six-man workers.
Within the meantime, nevertheless, the Dodgers might want to piece collectively manufacturing from a rotation that gives little certainty exterior of Yamamoto and deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty all through the postseason. A struggling Walker Buehler (5.38 ERA in 16 begins) and rookie Landon Knack (3.65 ERA in 69 frames this yr) stand because the membership’s almost definitely beginning choices to fill out the rotation behind Yamamoto and Flaherty, who’re set to start out Video games 1 and a pair of respectively.
Other than Kershaw, right-hander Joe Kelly was additionally left off the membership’s NLDS roster. It was a tough yr for Kelly, who allowed a 4.78 ERA throughout 35 aid appearances whereas battling accidents. That features a shoulder problem that bothered him all through the ultimate weeks of the season, and Roberts instructed reporters (together with Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) that the veteran right-hander gained’t be obtainable till not less than the World Collection after tweaking his shoulder throughout a simulated recreation this week. With out Kelly within the fold, the Dodgers determine to rookie Edgardo Henriquez to fill out their bullpen for the NLDS.
