Dodgers’ Kershaw Set to Make Season Debut on Thursday Against Giants

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw reacts after a nice defensive play behind him in a game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles on Sept. 23, 2023. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)

The historic rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants will resume with added spice this week as three-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Clayton Kershaw is set to make his season debut when the teams wrap up a four-game series on Thursday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the announcement after Los Angeles’ 7–6, 11-inning victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. Kershaw, 36, had surgery on his left, throwing shoulder in November to repair the gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule. He said at the time in a social-media post that he was “hopeful to return to play at some point next summer.”

That point has arrived after Kershaw had three minor-league rehab outings–one with the Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and two with their Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. In his final rehab stint on Friday, Kershaw pitched four innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out two.

That came a month after his first rehab start on June 19. He then experienced shoulder soreness in an ensuing bullpen session. That led the Dodgers to shut down Kershaw for seven days before he took the mound again, with his second start, on July 14. Following his final start on Friday, Kershaw talked about the lengthy process to regaining his health.

“This is my first surgery, obviously, and some of the things… I didn’t really believe people honestly when they said, ‘Hey, it’s an up-and-down thing. You’re gonna have good days and bad days, and you’ve just got to persevere through it,’” Kershaw told reporters.

“I was like, ‘No, they fixed it, I’m gonna be good.' I think I was right more than wrong, but there’s a couple speed bumps that are just part of the process, I think. So, I’m thankful that I went through it now that I’m on the back side of it, but yeah, it’s not a fun process by any means.”

The fact that it was Kershaw’s first-ever operation may come as a surprise considering his lengthy injury history. He’s been placed on the injured list at some point in each of the past eight seasons, a total of 10 times. While he ended last season off the injured list and on the mound, it was clear that he wasn’t healthy in his final start, in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The future Hall of Famer had the worst start of his 16-year career, recording just one out while allowing six earned runs on six hits, including a home run. He allowed five straight hits to start the game before recording an out. After the game, Roberts still expressed confidence in Kershaw and said he was “the only option” to start a potential Game 4 versus Arizona, but the Dodgers ended up being swept in three games.

His impending return couldn’t come at a better time for Los Angeles, which has been decimated by injuries this season. Starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Walker Buehler are all on the injured list, though Glasnow is also slated to return this week, starting on Wednesday.

Additionally, relief pitcher Michael Grove is on the injured list, while pitchers Dustin May, Emmet Sheehan, and Tony Gonsolin have not pitched this season. They aren’t expected to return to the mound until 2025.

The same goes for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani as he continues to operate only as a designated hitter while recovering from offseason elbow surgery. Amongst other hitters, shortstop Mookie Betts—who was an early-season most valuable player frontrunner—has been out since June 16 with a fractured hand and isn’t expected back until August. Starting third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Jason Heyward are also on the injured list.

Kershaw is on a one-year contract with an option for 2025, and he’ll have roughly another two months to add to one of the greatest careers in baseball history. A 10-time All-Star, Kershaw has led the league in earned-run average five times, which is tied for the most by any pitcher in major-league history.

He won the 2011 pitching triple crown by leading the National League in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. In 2014, Kershaw was named National League MVP, while his career ERA of 2.48 is the lowest among starters in the live-ball era (minimum 1,000 innings). His win-loss percentage of .695 is also best in the live-ball era, and with 2,944 career strikeouts, he’s just 56 shy of becoming the 20^th member of the 3,000-strikeout club.

The success of Kershaw in the regular season contrasts greatly with his playoff performances. His postseason ERA is two runs higher at 4.49, and he sports a .500 record (13–13). However, he was his vintage self during the lone World Series victory of his career in 2020. Kershaw posted a 2.93 ERA over 30.2 postseason innings during that year, going 4-1 across five post-season starts.