Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw to Miss More Time After MRI on Shoulder Injury amid Rehab

The Los Angeles Dodgers were originally optimistic that Clayton Kershaw's recovery from shoulder inflammation would take a matter of days. That was more than two weeks ago.

After receiving an MRI, Kershaw says his new return target is "early August," according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.

Kershaw took himself out of a 5-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on June 27 after six shutout innings because of shoulder discomfort. After the game, the issue was diagnosed as shoulder inflammation, per the Los Angeles Times' Mike DiGiovanna.

Prior to his injury, Kershaw boasted a 10-4 record with 2.55 ERA, 1.049 WHIP and 105 strikeouts to only 24 walks in 16 starts and 95.1 innings pitched.

Kershaw returned to the mound July 7 to throw "a few" pitches for the Dodgers, per Ardaya, and reported feeling good before getting shut down. The three-time Cy Young Award winner did not specify what specifically his doctors had found when examining the MRI.

Kershaw's answer confirms a report from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He told MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM that the team hoped to get Kershaw back "at the beginning of August."

A stellar season from Gold Glove right fielder-turned-infielder Mookie Betts might not be enough to keep Los Angeles afloat if Kershaw and the rest of the pitching rotation do not recover soon.

Kershaw, who has not taken the mound in over two weeks, still leads the team with 16 starts because almost every experienced starting pitcher has been injured. Noah Syndergaard, who struggled early in the season, is currently undergoing a rehab assignment.

The Dodgers have sent five other starting pitchers to the injured list, including Tony Gonsolin, Julio Urias, Michael Grove and Ryan Pepiot. Dustin May will miss the rest of the season, while Urias and Gonsolin have looked noticeably rusty in their returns.

The team did not go into this season expecting to lean on rookie pitchers like Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. Kershaw's loss, especially given his stellar start to the campaign, means more uncertainty for the Dodgers as the trade deadline approaches.

The Dodgers will hope Kershaw's recovery goes according to plan so that the team does not have to depend on Betts and the rest of the team's All-Stars racking up 5.55 runs per game, the most in the NL, in order to keep Los Angeles atop the NL West.