Dodgers’ Kershaw out for series vs Nats because of back pain

Kershaw has experienced renewed pain in his lower back – “same area, same symptoms”, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said – since throwing approximately 60 pitches in a simulated-game setting Saturday in Los Angeles.

Minutes after discussing Wood’s predicament, Roberts acknowledged Kershaw could also require surgery to fix his back.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has been on the disabled list since July 1 with disc herniation in his back. Kershaw’s absence might lead the Dodgers into more of a rebuild season unless they can keep up with the rest of the National League teams facing off for the Wild Card. But he wasn’t making any guarantees.

Roberts said no doctor has hold him that surgery was more of a probability for the triple Cy Young Award victor.

The first-year skipper isn’t ruling out back surgery for the Dodgers’ ace.

After Kershaw’s last game on June 26, the Dodgers were eight games behind the Giants in the NL West. Entering play on Wednesday, the Dodgers stand just 4.5 games behind the Giants. Starting pitching, both before Kershaw’s injury and surprisingly after it, has been a boon as well. “I think that with the way it flared up, it’s more of an indication that surgery is more of a possibility obviously with the way the back responded”.

Los Angeles has been rumored to be pursuing various big names at the trade deadline – Rays starter Chris Archer and Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez among them.

The possibility of surgery is a scary thing for any team to bring up, and it tells us a little bit about how severe Kershaw’s injury actually is. Going from expecting to have him back in a few days to not knowing when he’ll be back at all only makes it worse. The timetable for his return is now unclear.

“We’re hoping for health, but you know what, we can control what we can control and the 25 guys who are active, they are focused on winning baseball games”, Roberts said.