Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw, who has spent the previous 5 weeks rehabbing an ailing toe, won't pitch this postseason regardless of how far the Los Angeles Dodgers advance. But the Dodgers received some fast excellent news just a little greater than two hours earlier than Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday, when Freddie Freeman was inserted into the beginning lineup.
Freeman's standing was in severe query when the Dodgers started their pregame work Saturday, however he got here onto the sphere at roughly 2:45 p.m. PT for some gentle baserunning and defensive work and felt adequate coming out of it. He then went inside to hit off one of the Dodgers' high-velocity pitching machines, after which the workforce inserted him at first base and in his customary No. 3 spot of the lineup.
Freeman sprained his proper ankle whereas avoiding a tag close to first base Sept. 26 and spent the previous eight days rehabbing the damage. He expressed confidence he'd begin Game 1 whereas assembly with the media Thursday, saying his proper ankle was “good enough.” But his standing modified the next day, with Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts saying earlier Saturday afternoon that he was “not as hopeful as I was yesterday.”
Before Freeman declared himself prepared, the Dodgers have been working out Max Muncy at first base and Enrique Hernandez at third base — their most well-liked alignment if Freeman is unavailable at any level this collection.
Freeman's standing will regularly be in query all through the NLDS, however Kershaw's is definitive.
“We're closing the door,” Roberts stated. “Clayton has done everything he can to keep this thing moving forward and giving himself a chance to participate in the postseason. But where he's at right now, physically, the foot, the toe just is not cooperating.”
Kershaw underwent shoulder surgical procedure final offseason and did not make his season debut till July 25, then exited his Aug. 30 begin within the second inning with what was subsequently recognized as a bone spur in his left huge toe. Kershaw continued to hold his pitching arm lively and had his spikes readjusted to assist compensate for the ache in his tender toe. But his throwing development was placed on maintain final week as a result of compensating for it was triggering ache in different components of his physique as he went via his supply.
“It was getting pretty mentally exhausting to continue to try to pitch,” Kershaw stated. “It just kept hurting, so I got another MRI. I made it worse, so there's no point at this point to keep going. It's unfortunate. Obviously, super frustrated. That's really it. It's not getting better, so I can't pitch.”
The Dodgers went with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and Landon Knack as their starters for his or her NLDS showdown in opposition to the rival San Diego Padres, with Yamamoto and Flaherty beginning Games 1 and a pair of, respectively. The solely mildly stunning roster decision was going with rookie right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, who has made solely three appearances however throws his fastball within the triple digits, over veteran Joe Kelly.
Roberts revealed Kelly suffered a shoulder damage whereas throwing a changeup on the final pitch of a simulated recreation earlier this week. Kelly's shoulder damage is analogous to the one suffered by Brusdar Graterol, an ailment that opened a spot for one more younger right-hander in Michael Grove. The Dodgers' solely probability of having Kelly out there might be in the event that they advance to the World Series; Roberts stated he wouldn't be out there for the NL Championship Series both.
When the Dodgers' season ends, Kershaw, who may want surgical procedure on his left huge toe, will as soon as once more ponder whether or not he'll retire or pitch the next season. His contract features a $5 million participant choice that comes with up to $20 million in extra efficiency incentives.
“My shoulder feels great, back feels great, all that stuff,” Kershaw, 36, stated. “I don't know. Obviously, I don't want to keep getting hurt all the time. It's not fun to do that. But I also really love to pitch too. Just got to weigh everything and talk about it, figure it out.”
