GLENDALE, Ariz. — Clayton Kershaw, fresh off a $93 million extension, is taking a step back from his normal throwing progression after seemingly feeling displeased with his recent work off the mound.
Kershaw was excused from Los Angeles Dodgers camp on Thursday and will not play catch for at least the next couple of days, instead getting his work done in the weight room and with the trainers until he is cleared to throw once more. His next bullpen session has yet to be determined.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw “didn’t feel right” when he threw to hitters on Monday and then came back to throw off the mound on Wednesday. Roberts stressed that Kershaw’s back, which has landed him on the disabled list each of the last three seasons, isn’t the issue.
“Just an arm kind of thing,” Roberts said, adding that “no one is alarmed or worried” because it is still early enough in spring training for Kershaw to get stretched out for the start of the season.
Roberts announced on Tuesday that Kershaw would start for the Dodgers on Opening Day for the ninth consecutive year. By taking a step back, Roberts said, the Dodgers are merely being “prudent.”
“Maybe just to kind of recalibrate, reset will help him,” Roberts added.
Kershaw held a 2.73 ERA last season. But his fastball velocity dropped to the low 90s and his slider began to take on the characteristics of a cutter, giving Kershaw little differentiation outside of the rare times he throw his loopy curveball. It prompted his lowest strikeout rate (8.6) and highest hit rate (7.8) since his rookie season in 2008.
The day he signed a three-year extension to remain with the Dodgers in early November — a deal that basically tacked on an extra season to the contract he opted out of — Kershaw expressed his desire to “prove a lot of people wrong” and tap back into some of his velocity.
Kershaw then spent most of the offseason in Dallas trying to increase his flexibility and realign his delivery. But he was noticeably less bullish when speaking to reporters about his previous desires on the first day of camp, saying: “I think I was just fired up. I guess it just sounded good.”
Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner who is the pre-eminent pitcher of his generation, appears unhappy with his progress thus far.
“He holds himself to a high standard,” Roberts said, “and he really wasn’t pleased with how he felt.”