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The bad luck of future Dodger Hall of Fame member Clayton Kershaw in 2021 continued as the final series of the regular season began on Friday. Kershaw was placed on the 10-day injury list following left forearm discomfort in the second inning of the Los Angeles Series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 33-year-old southpaw’s difficult break obviously couldn’t come at a worse time for him and the Dodgers heading into the playoffs.
Since there is no timeline for his return, Kershaw’s forearm disease propels left-hander Julio Urias into a role in the starting rotation at playoff time, according to manager Dave Roberts. . A starting role certainly.
“I think that now clearly puts him (Urias) in a playoff game,” said Roberts. “Where I think before you could kind of play around with the idea of how to deploy Julio with what makes the most sense to win as many matches as possible.”
The Dodgers skipper said Urias’ workload in tonight’s game ultimately hinged on the outcome of another NL West clash between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres, which ended earlier this afternoon. San Diego won the game 3-2 on extras.
Roberts elaborated and said he was also aware of Urias’ potential 20-win milestone as a starting pitcher over the precipice.
“Obviously I know he has a shot at winning 20 games, which is really important,” said Roberts. “He’s a feather in his cap for the future, but balancing that with the workload he’s taken on all year and making sure he’s crisp and fresh as we prepare too. for the playoffs. ”
A Urias victory tonight would make him the league’s leader in qualifying pitching wins, ultimately bolstering his record for a Cy Young Award or All-MLB honors in 2021.
The 25-year-old ace is currently 19-3 with a 3.01 ERA and a WHIP of 1.04.
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