Dodgers notes: Clayton Kershaw gets an epidural, Vin Scully celebration

Clayton Kershaw received an epidural injection to relieve pain in his lower back on Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Saturday.

Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic notes that Kershaw’s pain this time is on the left side, as opposed to the right side when he missed a month earlier this season. Also per Ardaya, there is no set timetable for Kershaw to resume throwing just yet: “Roberts said Kershaw has had “similar sensations” in the past, and his history and familiarity with it (and epidurals) is giving the Dodgers confidence Kershaw won’t have to miss a significant chunk of time.”

Kershaw was placed on the injured list Friday.

He’s one of nine pitchers currently on the injured list who might return at some point this season, and the next two months will be about sorting all that out.

Dustin May is the closest starting pitcher to return, though will need at least one, and possibly two more minor league rehab starts before he’s activated. Brusdar Graterol is the closest reliever, having thrown a simulated inning before Saturday’s game.

Roberts said Graterol is about 10 days away from returning, writes J.P. Hoornstra at the Orange County Register, who added that Blake Treinen — who also faced hitters on Saturday — and Tommy Kahnle are being targeted for September returns.

Links

Bill Plaschke at the Los Angeles Times captured the spirit of Friday’s Dodger Stadium celebration of Vin Scully: “It was all so sweet, maybe even the always-deferential Scully would have liked it. Or maybe he would have just grinned and endured it. Either way, he had it coming.”

Susan Straight in an op-ed at the LA Times wrote about Scully’s impact on her family: “My Swiss German mother learned her best English listening to a transistor radio as Vin Scully’s tenor voice called Dodger games. Now she is 87, and when we drink tea and eat Toblerone with the game on, she reminds me that Scully changed her life. When she had no car and no money, his voice carried her into a new and better future.”

The new Padres are seeing the same old result against the Dodgers, writes Jim Alexander at the OC Register.

Mark your DVRs for Tuesday: