Dodgers deem Clayton Kershaw ready, promote Kyle Hurt
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw threw more than 30 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday and was deemed set to return to the mound on Saturday against the Seattle Mariners.
Kershaw has not pitched since Sept. 5 in a five-inning no-decision on the road against the Miami Marlins when his fastball was down to an average of 88.4 mph.
There was some conjecture that the future Hall of Famer, 35, was still ailing from a shoulder injury that cost him six weeks on the injured list. But the club is now focusing on a mechanical adjustment to get more velocity.
Whatever the case, the Dodgers intend to get as many quality innings as they can from their three-time Cy Young Award winner even if it comes at the expense of a large quantity of innings.
“It was good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Kershaw’s throwing session. “He threw his regular low-30s ’pen. He used his entire pitch mix. I think he came out of it well so I feel good about him making that start on Saturday.”
With Julio Urias not expected back from an MLB-sanctioned administrative leave, starters like Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May lost to injury and Walker Buehler ending his attempt to come back this season, the Dodgers will try to get as much as possible from Kershaw through October.
The club’s best-case rotation scenario has Kershaw, Bobby Miller and Lance Lynn pitching in a three-man rotation for the best-of-five National League Division Series. Another arm will need to be added to that mix if the Dodgers advance.
“Like I said, I feel good about it,” Roberts said about Kershaw’s Saturday start. “I don’t have any expectations on length. I just want him to go out there and get as many outs as he can and I feel good about him making that start and putting us in a position to win a baseball game.”
Short starts, even if they are effective, will end up putting a strain on the bullpen. And the Dodgers’ relievers are not exactly fresh after a long season.
“I guess time will tell,” Roberts said. “Getting through the season and figuring out who we have at our disposal is No. 1. Then looking at the division series, I think (that scenario) is certainly doable. But that’s as far as I really want to project right now.”
“… I do feel that we’re going to have a lot of talented arms. How we deploy them? Is it enough? I’m expecting it to be enough.”
Despite his time away this season, Kershaw will be alone in the team lead with his 22nd start on Saturday.
HELP ON THE WAY
The Dodgers added hard-throwing right-hander Kyle Hurt to the bullpen, giving the San Diego-area native the first look at major league life with his hometown Padres in town.
The 25-year-old, who played three seasons at USC, has become one of the organization’s prized up-and-coming arms. He leads the minor leagues in strikeout rate, having mixed his high-90s fastball with three other swing-and-miss pitches to strike out 145 batters over 88⅓ innings combined at Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Hurt has made 16 of his 25 appearances as a starter, but he will be leaned on to provide depth out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. He was acquired from the Miami Marlins in the February 2021 deal that also landed left-hander Alex Vesia in exchange for Dylan Floro.
Asked if Hurt is getting a chance to prove himself in advance of the playoffs, Roberts did not want to look too far ahead.
“Right now, this is accelerated for Kyle,” Roberts said of the promotion. “But we as an organization feel he is ready for this. I think, right now, you look at the ’pen and usage, just make sure we take care of our guys. So to give him an opportunity to take down innings, we all thought he was the right person for it.”
Left-hander Victor Gonzalez was optioned to Oklahoma City to open a spot on the active roster, while right-hander Gus Varland (knee) was placed on the 60-day IL, ending his season.
RUNNING OUT OF TIME
Right-handed relievers Yency Almonte and Daniel Hudson each had throwing sessions to test knee injuries, with their returns still uncertain.
Almonte, who has not pitched in a game since Aug. 11, has a 5.06 ERA in 49 appearances out of the bullpen.
Hudson has appeared in just three games, and none since July 5 after knee surgery last year.
UP NEXT
Padres (LHP Blake Snell, 13-9, 2.52 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Ryan Pepiot, 0.86 ERA), Wednesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM