MLB rumors: Dodgers get good and bad news on injured ace Clayton Kershaw

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw will miss the playoffs with a sore left elbow.
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If the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to defend their World Series title, they’ll have to do so without ace Clayton Kershaw.

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MLB.com reports Kershaw will miss the postseason with an injured throwing arm. But the silver lining is the southpaw doesn’t need Tommy John surgery. However his future remains uncertain.

The 33-year-old Kershaw will be a free agent after the playoffs. That means the three-time Cy Young Award winner may have played his last game in a Dodgers uniform.

So instead, the Dodgers will rely on midseason addition Max Scherzer to lead the way for the starting rotation. The 37-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner will be on the mound Wednesday to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card Game.

The Washington Nationals traded Scherzer to the Dodgers before the July 30 deadline, and he was lights out in Los Angeles, going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 11 starts.

Here’s more on Wednesday’s game from the Associated Press:

PITCHING PROBABLES:

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright (0-0, 3.05 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 174 strikeouts)

Dodgers: Max Scherzer (0-0, 2.46 ERA, .86 WHIP, 236 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE:

The Dodgers will face the Cardinals in the one-game NL wild-card playoff.

The Dodgers were 58-23 on their home turf in 2021.

The Cardinals posted a record of 45-36 away from home in 2021.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Justin Turner ranks second on the Dodgers with 87 RBIs and is batting .279.

Paul Goldschmidt leads the Cardinals with 178 hits and is batting .295.

LAST 10 GAMES:

Dodgers: 9-1, .281 batting average, 3.70 ERA, outscored opponents by 24 runs

Cardinals: 7-3, .268 batting average, 3.86 ERA, outscored opponents by 16 runs

INJURIES:

Dodgers: Jimmie Sherfy: (elbow), Evan Phillips: (quad), Jimmy Nelson: (elbow), Dustin May: (elbow), Clayton Kershaw: (forearm), Tommy Kahnle: (elbow), Cole Hamels: (arm), Caleb Ferguson: (elbow), Danny Duffy: (forearm), Garrett Cleavinger: (oblique), Scott Alexander: (shoulder), Edwin Rios: (shoulder), Sheldon Neuse: (undisclosed), Max Muncy: (arm), Gavin Lux: (neck).

Cardinals: Justin Miller: (elbow), Carlos Martinez: (thumb), Wade LeBlanc: (elbow), Jordan Hicks: (elbow), Ryan Helsley: (elbow), Junior Fernandez: (shoulder), Max Moroff: (shoulder).

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

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