© Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Just as the engines were cleared to take off in Los Angeles for the start of spring training, there has been an apparent failure to launch.
According to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been shut down indefinitely due to an unknown arm injury. After throwing standard bullpen sessions last week as well as this past Monday, manager Dave Roberts decided to give him a rest on Thursday from throwing.
On Monday after his throwing session, Kershaw told Roberts that he, “didn’t feel right,” and the manager characterized it as an, “arm kind of thing.” When asked how the team is going to handle the situation going forward, Roberts emphasized that the 3x Cy Young award winner is in no rush to return.
“When he says he doesn’t feel right, you’re looking at the calendar, just to push things back is prudent and that’s what we’re doing right now,” Roberts said of his franchise pitcher. “So to say when he’s going to throw his next ’pen, I can’t say right now. And we’re sort of leaving that to him and the trainers to figure out when that is. But right now, to just kind of step away, give him a couple days, I think that’s what we want to do.”
Kershaw is no stranger to the disabled list — despite his 2.12 ERA and 76 wins in the past five years — dealing with problems in his lower back as well as his arm in the past few seasons, so for Roberts and the training staff, erring on the side of caution is an absolute guarantee at this juncture.
“I know when I listen to Clayton and the training staff,” Roberts said. “This is the right way to go about it.”