Clayton Kershaw injury update further proves his Dodgers, baseball career is all but over

It's been more than a week since veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw exited the Los Angeles Dodgers' series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a bone spur in his left big toe, and there is still no timeline for his return.

It's not a great sign for the Dodgers, whose starting rotation has been severely depleted by injuries as they find themselves in the middle of a tight National League West division race. It's also not a great sign for Kershaw, who wants nothing more than to help his team win in October of what could possibly be the final season of his 17-year MLB career.

Kershaw told Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times that his latest injury is "beyond frustrating," given that he had overcome chronic back issues and an offseason shoulder surgery, only to be sidelined by an injury to his toe. While it may seem small, the bone spur is causing significant pain in Kershaw's left foot, which hinders his ability to push off the rubber as a left-handed pitcher.

Harris reported that the veteran southpaw has been experimenting with different methods to keep his arm loose while letting his toe heal, including throwing flat-ground sessions in both tennis shoes and a walking boot, testing out different foot angles in his delivery and even pitching off a portable throwing ramp in the outfield while wearing only a sock on his left foot. Kershaw's shoe sponsor, Skechers, has even begun experimenting with modified spikes to take pressure off his toe while he pitches.

Clayton Kershaw injury update further proves his Dodgers, baseball career is all but over

As October quickly approaches, Kershaw is in a race against the clock. Unfortunately, his injury appears to be one that can only be healed with time – time that he does not have. His availability for the Dodgers' postseason run in 2024 questionable at best, not to mention a potential 18th career season in 2025.

Kershaw is 36 years old and a shell of the pitcher he once was. He is a three-time Cy Young Award winner who led all MLB pitchers with 88 wins, a 2.11 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP from 2011-2015. But he has been on the injured list every season since 2016, averaging 138 innings during that span.

There was plenty of speculation about Kershaw's retirement prior to the 2024 season before he announced his intention to come back. But this latest injury could put his future with the Dodgers – and in baseball – in jeopardy.

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