Losing Kershaw would be devastating to Dodgers
Already reeling from the loss of right-handed starter Chad Billingsley for the season, the Dodgers announced that left-handed ace Clayton Kershaw would not make his scheduled appearance Sunday night at San Francisco in the key finale of a three-game series against the National League West-leading Giants.
Kershaw was scratched from the start because of a sore hip, MLB.com reported. Last week, Baseball News Source detailed how the Dodgers rotation would be tested without the presence of Billingsley, who could eventually have Tommy John surgery and not pitch in 2013.
Losing Kershaw for a prolonged stretch would likely be devastating for the Dodgers’ post-season hopes. At 74-66, they are 4.5 games behind the Giants in the N.L. West standings but just one game in back of St. Louis for the final wild card spot. Without Kershaw, who is 12-8 with a 2.79 ERA in 29 starts, the Dodgers rotation does not possess a frontline starter. Josh Beckett, Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang and Joe Blanton (who replaced Kershaw for Sunday night’s game) are the team’s other starters.
The Dodgers are also without outfielder Matt Kemp, who has been sidelined Saturday and Sunday with an injured shoulder.
