Maybe now its time to panic.
On a nightmarish road trip that appeared to include a never-ending list of injured players, the Los Angeles Dodgers just added the biggest name of all: Clayton Kershaw.
The team announced early on Sunday morning that Kershaw was placed on the 10-day disabled list with left bicep tendinitis.
Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times was the first to report that Kershaw was not with the team in Monterrey, Mexico and had flown back to L.A. early to see team doctor and world renowned orthopedic surgeon doctor Neal ElAttrache.
Kershaw's DL stint was NOT made retroactive three days and is effective immediately. That means the three-time Cy Young Award winner cannot return next Sunday against Cincinnati, but instead, the earliest he can return would be Wednesday, May 16 in Miami against the Marlins.
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Kershaw has now been placed on the disabled list each of the last three seasons and four out of the last five seasons. However, this is the first time he's dealt with arm issues when his previous stints were back related.
Kershaw flew with the team to Monterrey, Mexico and was upbeat and smiling when he arrived at the stadium on Friday. On Saturday, he was seen in the clubhouse playing cards before the game with injured third baseman Justin Turner, and was the first to high-five his teammates in the dugout during Saturday's 7-4 loss to San Diego.
Kershaw, 30, has made seven starts this season going 1-4 with a 2.86 ERA (14 ER/44.0 IP) and has held hitters to a .234 average, while striking out 48 against just 10 walks. The southpaw last started on Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out six in 6.0 innings as he did not factor in the decision.
The news of the injury adds Kershaw's name to a long list of injured Dodgers this season. Outside of Turner who fractured his wrist in spring training, the Dodgers have injuries to Corey Seager (season-ending Tommy John surgery), Hyun-Jin Ryu (torn groin), Yasiel Puig (hip pointer) Rich Hill (finger), Logan Forsythe (shoulder) and more.
The Dodgers recalled RHP Brock Stewart to take Kershaw's place in the rotation.
Stewart, 26, who will make his second stint with the big league club this year, made his 2018 debut on April 30 against the Diamondbacks, allowing one run and striking out three in 1.2 innings of relief with the Dodgers. The right-hander has made four starts with Oklahoma City this season, going 1-0 with a 2.41 ERA (5 ER/18.2 IP) and has struck out 20 batters against just six walks, while limiting the opposition to a .200 average. In 2017, Stewart appeared in 17 games (four starts) with Los Angeles, collecting one save and posting a 3.41 ERA (13 ER/34.1 IP), while holding batters to a .226 average.
