Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw gave his team cause for concern after he reported not feeling well after throwing at spring training on Monday.
The Dodgers began their throwing program last week at spring training for pitchers, and Kershaw began the process normally.
However, on Friday, Kershaw announced that he would “take a step back” in the throwing program and slow the rhythm at which he was preparing for the 2019 season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained to reporters that this was due to shoulder inflammation that Kershaw had experienced after beginning to throw.
Now, it appears that Kershaw’s shoulder problems have flared up and that he could be in trouble.
Kershaw had another excellent season last year, posting a 2.73 ERA and leading the Dodgers’ standout rotation. However, he dealt with decreased velocity and the slowest strikeout rate that he had posted in several years.
Despite this, Kershaw signed a three-year contract extension with Los Angeles this summer, indicating that the team was confident in him and his health.
However, given the recent developments, it’s fair to wonder if the Dodgers are concerned that their 30-year-old ace could be starting to face some serious problems.
The Dodgers are planning to let Kershaw rest in the short term, and don’t have immediate plans to perform an MRI on his shoulder.
