Los Angeles Dodgers veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw played catch in the outfield Monday and Tuesday afternoon as he resumed his throwing program following offseason shoulder surgery.
Kershaw, 36, made a three-inning rehab start at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on June 19 before his comeback was halted last Monday by residual shoulder soreness.
An MRI last week did not show any new damage and Kershaw hopes to throw a bullpen during the Dodgers’ current six-game homestand that begins Tuesday with a visit from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A three-time National League Cy Young Award winner and the 2014 NL MVP, Kershaw is 210-92 with a 2.48 ERA in 425 career appearances (422 starts) over 16 seasons. He is the Dodgers’ all-time leader in strikeouts with 2,944.
Kershaw has not pitched since last season’s National League Division Series game at home against the Diamondbacks, when he gave up six runs on six hits while recording just one out. He had been dealing with shoulder discomfort and underwent surgery at the start of the offseason.
The Dodgers were hoping Kershaw could rejoin the rotation by late July.
The Dodgers signed Kershaw to a one-year deal for 2024 at $5 million with $7.5 million available in performance bonuses. He also has a $5 million option for 2025 with another $25 million available in bonuses that season.
