Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw May Need Surgery
By Ryan Schultz
Clayton Kershaw’s injury had fans worried before, but now there is even more cause for concern surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher. If he requires surgery, he will miss the rest of the 2016 season.
When Clayton Kershaw went down with an injury before the All-Star break, there was some worry among fans about what it meant for the team. On a team that had already suffered so many pitching injuries, from recently recovered Brandon McCarthy to Brett Anderson who is out for the year, fans were rightfully concerned. The Los Angeles Dodgers had already lost so much pitching that the entire staff was dependent on Kershaw to go out every five games and throw a gem. In almost all of his starts before his injury, Kershaw was doing just that.
Kershaw holds a 1.79 ERA, 1.67 FIP and ridiculous 16.11 K/BB ratio, which has added up to give him 5.5 fWAR so far this season. He was on pace to have a historic season, and was almost certainly running away with the Cy Young Award in the first half.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
His injury almost dooms the Dodgers, even with the amount of time that he has already lost. With each passing turn in the rotation, the Dodgers miss Kershaw more and more. When he was simply battling a back issue that should have been resolved soon after the All-Star break, the injury was tolerable. The Dodgers knew that they would be getting their ace back before long, and that he would be feeling 100 percent healthy when he did come back.
As Kershaw was making his way back to the team, he struggled with a setback during one of his workouts. That setback is the latest news, and it is nearly damning for the Dodgers.
Manager Dave Roberts had this to say yesterday:
"“I think that with the way it flared up, it’s more of an indication that surgery is more of a possibility obviously with the way his back responded, but we’re still hopeful that he will be back. When you’re talking about the back, that is always an option, but we’re certainly hopeful that Clayton will be back, absolutely.”"
The possibility of surgery is a scary thing for any team to bring up, and it tells us a little bit about how severe Kershaw’s injury actually is. While there is no guarantee that Kershaw will or won’t require surgery, the player who the team said would be back in late July to early August has suffered some serious setbacks.
Speculation over the length or severity of Kershaw’s injury can be fun (or not so much if you’re a Dodgers fan), but in the end it’s not entirely useful. The important thing to note is that the Dodgers are in trouble without their ace on the roster. Kershaw was on his way to yet another Cy Young Award, and probably could have competed for another National League MVP Award.
With Kershaw and others returning from injury, the Dodgers had a chance to chase down the first place Giants for the division title. Without Kershaw, the Dodgers might be able to hold on to a Wild Card position, but even that is not guaranteed.
Next: Can Seager Contend for MVP?
Nothing is certain about Kershaw’s injury, but one thing is clear: Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball, and the Dodgers sorely miss him.