Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw ‘trending upward’ amid injury recovery

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a strong start to the 2024 MLB season despite being hit by a multitude of injuries. Several Dodgers pitchers including Walker Buehler, Emmet Sheehan, and Clayton Kershaw have all been greatly affected by throwing ailments. Nevertheless, Kershaw’s recovery update will have LA fans excited.

Kershaw’s rehab process from his shoulder injury is “trending upward“, per AM 570 LA Sports.

In November of 2023, Kershaw underwent surgery to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder. It was the first surgery he underwent on his throwing arm. Before that, Kershaw was sidelined for six weeks between July and August due to shoulder discomfort. Yet, he played through it for the final stretch of the season.

Unfortunately, Kershaw’s ailment seemed to greatly affect his postseason performance. He allowed six runs while recording only one out in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kershaw’s woes did not let up there. He and the Dodgers were stunningly swept, ending their playoff run early.

Once Clayton Kershaw returns fully healthy from injury, he will be a great help to Los Angeles’ pitching core. The 35-year-old boasted a W-L of 13-5 in 2023, good enough to rank him 13th in the league, per ESPN. In addition, Kershaw averaged a 2.46 ERA, 137 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.06. Of course, Kershaw will have stout help alongside him.

Tyler Glasnow has led the Dodgers’ pitchers with respectable production through the first part of the 2024 season. The former Tampa Bay Rays right-hander has gone 6-2 and thrown a league-leading 81 strikeouts so far during the 2024 season. Moreover, his 0.90 WHIP ranks fifth in the league.

The Dodgers need all they can get out of Glasnow as their amid their injury-riddled pitching group.

Dodgers continue to roll despite being slightly undermanned

Los Angeles is 33-18, which ranks them first in the NL West. The team lost the first game of their late-May Arizona Diamondbacks series 7-2, but they had two other promising series during the month. First, the team won two of its three matchups against the San Francisco Giants. Then, the Los Angeles team achieved the same result in their string of games against the Cincinnati Reds.

Second-year Major League pitcher Emmet Sheehan is rooting for the team to continue its success amid his brutal injury update.

Sheehan underwent Tommy John surgery in mid-May and faces over a year of rehab. The right-hander spoke to reporters about the injury, emphasizing how disappointing it is to deal with.

“Super frustrating,” Sheehan said Monday, per The Orange Country Register. “Obviously being on a team like this, it’s really cool to be around these guys and getting to play with them is a great opportunity that I was looking forward to. But there’s no real point in thinking about that now. Kind of just moving on to the next thing and trying to progress and get better and be healthy for next year.”

Sheehan can confide in Los Angeles other available stars to keep the team afloat during his absence.

All in all, it will be interesting to see how the Dodgers fare as they close out the month of May.