Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw Targets Return Date After Dominant Rehab Bid

Unlike Snell (shoulder) and Glasnow (shoulder), Kershaw (toe) has been on the shelf for this season's entirety. However, supporters of the "Boys in Blue" can breathe easier after Kershaw's start against the ACL Reds on Tuesday night, as reinforcements are on the horizon.

The 10-time All-Star dazzled in his most recent outing for the Dodgers' Arizona Complex League squad, tossing six innings of scoreless baseball to go with four strikeouts. To compound optimism, Tuesday's rehab tilt marked Kershaw's second-consecutive start with strong stuff, giving him four total appearances in 2025.

Kershaw's present stint on the 60-day injured list is nearing completion. Per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the 6-foot-4 southpaw is scheduled to leave the IL on May 18, with hopes of big-league activation shortly after.

Undoubtedly, Kershaw — a fan favorite in Southern California — is one of the premier hurlers of his generation, especially when it comes to lefties. To this point, he boasts a lifetime 2.50 ERA with nearly 3,000 punchouts (2,968) over 17 seasons.

When you add Kershaw's level of sustained production (79.3 WAR) to three Cy Young Awards and two World Series rings, an immaculate career resume emerges.

Nothing official has been announced for Kershaw's return from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, but he is trending in the right direction. Amidst an ultra-competitive NL West, Los Angeles can certainly use Kershaw's talents sooner than later.

Collectively, the Dodgers have walked 9.8% of opposing batters in 2025, which is the sixth-worst clip in the majors. From there, they are operating with a mediocre 1.29 team WHIP and a less-than-ideal four-man starting pitching rotation.

Los Angeles is scheduled for a rubber match in South Florida on Wednesday, taking on the Miami Marlins at 4:40 p.m. ET; the probable pitchers are Landon Knack and Valente Bellozo.