Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw will miss four to six weeks with a back injury, according to an initial prognosis, reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Kershaw exited his start on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves after two innings due to right-low back tightness. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said following the game that the ace, who missed 13 starts last season with back issues, would be placed on the 10-day disabled list.
“There wasn’t any shooting pain down the leg or the sensations that he felt last year, so that’s encouraging,” Roberts said Sunday, as reported by The Associated Press. “But what he means to our ball club and his history, there’s some pause.
“From what I understand, it’s more muscular, so that sharpness he felt last year is not what he felt today. The scans could prove different.”
The 29-year-old Kershaw, who’s 15-2 with a 2.04 ERA this season, will meet with back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins to further assess the injury.
Los Angeles (68-31) leads the National League West by 10.5 games and is 19-2 in games Kershaw has started this season.
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