The Los Angeles Dodgers placed left-handed star pitcher Clayton Kershaw on the 15 day injured list on Monday due to his lingering shoulder injury.
The move to IL is retroactive to Friday. Kershaw was named to his 10th All-Star game, which he will now miss.
Kershaw first reported soreness in his left shoulder after his last start against the Colorado Rockies on June 27, which Kershaw carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before leading the Dodgers to a 5-0 win in Denver. He threw just 79 pitches, and left in the sixth inning with some discomfort.
Kershaw has had multiple throwing sessions since then, and the Dodgers were contemplating starting him again on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Instead, however, the team opted to rest Kershaw and send him to IL. Michael Grove will start in Kershaw’s place on Monday.
The injury, isn’t believed to be serious. By placing Kershaw on IL now ahead of the All-Star break next week, he could miss as few as two starts.
Kershaw, 35, holds a 2.55 ERA and 10 wins over 16 starts and 95 1/3 innings so far this season, all of which are the best in the rotation. He has made at least one trip to the IL in each of his last eight seasons, and missed part of the 2019 season with shoulder inflammation.
The Dodgers enter Monday’s game with the Pirates, the first of a four-game homestand, with a 46-37 record. They trail the Arizona Diamondbacks by three games in the NL West with six games left before the All-Star break.