The Los Angeles Dodgers will have to embark on a quest to defend their World Series title without ace Clayton Kershaw. The veteran left-hander is still experiencing forearm discomfort and won’t be able to play in the playoffs, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
Earlier in the season, Kershaw missed more than two months while dealing with elbow and forearm issues. He returned in mid-September but got hurt once again late last week against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Kershaw’s injury came at a bad moment for the Dodgers as they counted on the 33-year-old pitcher to be one of their key players during what they hope will be a deep postseason run.
The timing is bad for the player as well, considering that he is set to enter the free agency this year. If healthy, Kershaw would undoubtedly find a big market, but it’s now unclear whether his injury issues will scare teams away.
However, Roberts did share some positive news, saying that Kershaw avoided a major injury and has his ulnar collateral ligaments intact. This means that he won’t need Tommy John surgery that would sideline him for the entire 2022 season.
Clayton Kershaw played 22 games for the Dodgers this season and has a 10-8 record. He posted a 3.55 ERA, his worst since his rookie year, while also having 144 strikeouts.
