Clayton Kershaw takes first step toward rejoining Dodgers’ pitching staff

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SAN DIEGO — Clayton Kershaw took the archetypal important measurement guardant successful his bid to rejoin the Dodgers’ pitching unit successful September. What relation helium mightiness instrumentality to, however, is an unfastened question.

Kershaw threw disconnected a mound successful the visitor’s bullpen astatine Petco Park connected Tuesday afternoon, his archetypal clip throwing disconnected a mound since a three-inning simulated crippled connected July 27 astatine Oracle Park successful San Francisco. Kershaw threw astir 45 pitches that time and experienced renewed discomfort successful his near elbow successful the days that followed. He was unopen down for 2 weeks and lone began throwing again a small implicit a week ago.

Tuesday’s bullpen league lasted lone 20 pitches and did not see immoderate breaking pitches. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw looked “really good” and “the transportation looked fluid.”

“I’m excited. I deliberation we’re each excited,” Roberts said. “Clayton was excited to get disconnected a mound, disconnected the slope and consciousness good.

“Mark (Prior, Dodgers pitching coach) and the aesculapian guys cognize much than I bash arsenic acold arsenic the progression. But I would accidental successful a fewer days he’ll get disconnected the mound again and rotation immoderate balls. As we tin commencement utilizing his full mix, getting up to that 32 pitches which is his mean bullpen league with 100 percent effort, we’ll commencement benignant of getting closer. But contiguous was a large measurement for each of us.”

Kershaw has not pitched successful a crippled since going 4 innings connected July 3 successful Washington. With conscionable 40 days near successful the regular season, it’s questionable whether the three-time Cy Young Award victor volition beryllium capable to spell done the progression from bullpen sessions to facing hitters to pitching successful games rapidly capable to physique his limb spot and transportation number up to a starter’s workload earlier the extremity of the season. If not, Kershaw could transportation successful a multi-inning alleviation relation oregon arsenic a constricted starter.

“I don’t cognize to what extent,” Roberts said. “I deliberation we inactive person clip connected the schedule. But I don’t privation to enactment the unit oregon Clayton successful a box. I conscionable deliberation each time let’s improve, let’s get stronger, let’s physique up the arm. And wherever that gets us, whenever that takes place, we’ll conscionable spot what relation makes the astir sense.

“I bash cognize that Clayton archetypal and foremost wants to beryllium steadfast and he’s unfastened to immoderate volition assistance the squad astatine that point.”

Kershaw was moved to the 60-day injured database and volition not beryllium eligible to beryllium activated until aboriginal September.

BETTS CLOSE

Outfielder Mookie Betts went done a simulated crippled astatine Dodger Stadium during the disconnected time connected Monday and is inactive connected way to instrumentality to the Dodgers this week.

“He deed a mates location runs,” Roberts said of Betts’ sim game. “I talked to him connected the mode down contiguous and, helium felt bully coming retired of it. So he’s going to bash immoderate much simulated worldly tomorrow. If that goes well, hopefully we tin activate him connected Thursday.

“He’s successful a truly bully spot, arsenic bully arsenic he’s been each year.”

ALSO

Right-handed reliever Joe Kelly joined the squad successful San Diego aft making a 2nd rehab quality with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga connected Monday. Kelly threw a 1-2-3 inning for the Quakes and volition apt beryllium activated by the Dodgers connected Wednesday. …

Right-hander Neftali Feliz was designated for duty Tuesday successful bid to wide a roster spot for left-hander Julio Urias to beryllium activated from the IL. Feliz pitched 1 inning for the Dodgers connected Sunday. …

Right-hander Andre Jackson is with the squad successful San Diego arsenic portion of the taxi squad. He besides threw a bullpen league Tuesday. Jackson pitched 4 scoreless innings successful his major-league debut connected Aug. 10 and pitched 5-2/3 innings for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga connected Saturday.