Dodgers bench Clayton Kershaw due to ongoing shoulder discomfort

Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw was scheduled to make a second rehab start on Tuesday but has been shut down due to lingering soreness. He will not throw again for at least a week before attempting to ramp back up. Despite the setback, an MRI has shown no new incidents with his left shoulder, which he had surgery on last November to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted that setbacks are a normal part of the rehab process for players coming back from surgery.

In his first rehab outing, Kershaw went three innings and threw 36 pitches. He will need to build up his workload to finish at least five innings and throw around 75 pitches before the Dodgers consider activating him. The team has been aiming for a return sometime in August, and the one-week shutdown is not expected to affect that timeline. The Dodgers have had several pitching injuries throughout the season, with key players like Walker Buehler, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin spending time on the injured list.

Despite the pitching challenges, the Dodgers have managed to maintain a strong record with a 48-31 record and an 8.5-game lead in the NL West entering Monday. Despite setbacks with Kershaw’s rehab, the team remains in a good position in the division.