Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is dealing with a bone spur on his left big toe, according to manager Dave Roberts. This injury has further depleted the Dodgers’ rotation.
Kershaw left the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second inning after Corbin Carroll hit a home run off him. Roberts and athletic trainer Thomas Albert came to check on Kershaw on the mound.
“It’s a bone spur. It’s clearly not good. There’s swelling and pain. He’s doing everything he can to manage it,” Roberts told Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times. “Some starts, it doesn’t bother him much, but today it was clearly an issue. He had no energy and we had to remove him after the [Corbin] Carroll at-bat. We’ll assess how he feels tomorrow and consider the possibility of an IL stint.”
Kershaw’s early exit forced the bullpen to cover the rest of the game from the second inning onwards. Despite a three-run lead at the start, Joe Kelly, the first reliever, struggled with his control.
“I couldn’t find a comfortable way to push off on my toe,” Kershaw said to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “It’s incredibly frustrating to put the team in a tough spot with the bullpen having to pitch eight innings.”
This recurring toe issue has plagued Kershaw for years, and it flared up again on Friday night. With the rotation already missing Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, this injury could further impact the Dodgers’ performance as the season progresses. However, the Dodgers managed to secure a crucial 10-9 victory despite the bullpen being heavily used.
As the postseason approaches, the Dodgers’ pitching staff remains a concern. Nevertheless, the team demonstrated their ability to overcome significant challenges.
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