The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to motor a long as we enter the halfway point of the 2024 MLB season. Dave Roberts squad entered MLB games today with a 48-31 record and 8.5 games ahead of the San Diego Padres in the National League West.
Though, not everything is great for Los Angeles. Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler all find themselves on the injured list. Meanwhile, franchise legend Clayton Kershaw has not pitched this season after undergoing shoulder surgery back in November.
It has been long expected that the futue Hall of Fame would be able to make his season debut at some point in July. That timeline is now in jeopardy.
Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reported on Monday that Kershaw has been shut down due to “lingering soreness” in said shoulder.
The good news? an MRI showed no new issues with Kershaw’s shoulder. The three-time Cy Young winner will reportedly be shut down for at least the next week.
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This will take center stage as the summer continues and with the MLB trade deadline set for just over a month from now.
Without Kershaw in the mix this season, the Dodgers’ rotation has still been pretty good. The aforementioned Yamamoto headlines things after coming over from Japan in a record-breaking deal. He posted a 2.92 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 14 starts before heading to the IL with a right rotator cuff strain. It’s not yet known when he’ll return. But things are uncertain on that end. “Way too early to know,” Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said recently.
While Yamamoto is expected to return this season, the iffy nature of his injury raises questions for the Big Blue.
For now, Tyler Glasnow (2.88 ERA, 0.87 WHIP), Gavin Stone (3.04 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) and James Paxton (3.65 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) headline things in Southern California.
It is still the expectation that Los Angeles will add a starter ahead of the MLB trade deadline. They have been linked to some if the biggest names on the block.