Before Clayton Kershaw returned on Thursday, the Dodgers’ rotation was stellar without their ace. And he came back and allowed one run through five innings before being removed. His velocity was still very down, giving manager Dave Roberts a reason for concern and caution.
Now he is back on the DL with a lower back problem; a problem that is expected to cause him to miss over a month, according to Roberts. The Dodgers now must have a worst-case scenario mindset that they will be without their ace for the rest of the season because they have not been able to trust his health since 2016.