Getty Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves
Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw exited Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves after only two innings due to an injury. The Dodgers said that Kershaw left the game due to “right low back tightness.” The Dodgers will place Kershaw on the DL according to The Los Angeles Times. Kershaw will be examined tomorrow by team doctor Robert Watkins.
Clayton Kershaw will get examined by team doctor Robert Watkins tomorrow. He needs to undergo a series of scans.
Kershaw was checked on by the Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts and assistant athletic trainer Nate Lucero with two outs in the top of the second. He stayed in the game and finished the inning after throwing a couple of practice pitches, but disappeared into the trainer’s room after and was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the second, according to ESPN.
Here’s a video of the pitch that Kershaw seemed to get hurt on:
Clayton Kershaw injury.
Kershaw threw 21 pitches, walked one batter and had two strikeouts before his departure.
Trayce Thompson pinch hit for Kershaw in the bottom of the second, and Ross Stripling took the mound in the third inning for the Dodgers.
The 2014 N.L. MVP and three-time Cy Young award winner entered Sunday’s game with leading MLB with 15 wins and a 2.04 ERA. Kershaw is second in the N.L. behind National’s Max Scherzer with 168 strike outs.
Kershaw posted a 0.78 ERA with three wins and 31 strike outs in his previous three July starts.
Kershaw missed two and a half months with a herniated disk in his lower back last season, but has made all of his starts this season, according to ESPN.
Kershaw had gone at least six innings in each of his nine June and July starts and at least seven innings in each of his previous three July starts. He entered the game on an 11-game winning streak and was looking to become the first Dodger pitcher since Burt Hooton (1975) to win 12 consecutive games.
Sunday’s outing was Kershaw’s shortest start since May 17, 2014, when he only lasted 1 2/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Story will be updated as more information is available