Clayton Kershaw to Miss Entire Postseason Due to Toe Injury

Pitcher Clayton Kershaw will not be participating in the postseason, according to Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. The decision comes after Kershaw’s continued struggles with an injured toe, which he has spent five weeks attempting to rehabilitate. “We’re closing the door,” Roberts stated before the Dodgers’ victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. “Clayton has done everything he can to keep this thing moving forward and giving himself a chance to participate in the postseason. But where he’s at right now, physically, the foot, the toe just is not cooperating.”

Kershaw, who had shoulder surgery in the previous offseason, only made his season debut on July 25. His efforts culminated in an August 30 start where he left in the second inning due to what was later diagnosed as a bone spur in his left big toe. Despite attempts to continue pitching, pain from the toe injury became too severe. “It was getting pretty mentally exhausting to continue to try to pitch,” Kershaw explained to reporters. “It just kept hurting, so I got another MRI. I made it worse, so there’s no point at this point to keep going. It’s unfortunate. Obviously, super frustrated. That’s really it. It’s not getting better, so I can’t pitch.”

The Dodgers will proceed with their rotation for the NLDS without Kershaw, opting for other pitchers including Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty for Games 1 and 2, respectively. The team made a surprising decision by including rookie right-hander over the more experienced but injured veteran Joe Kelly. Roberts disclosed that Kelly is dealing with a shoulder injury sustained during a simulated game, thus ruling him out for the NL Championship Series as well.

When the season concludes, Kershaw, who may require surgery on his toe, will need to decide whether to retire or return for another season. His current contract includes a $5 million player option, with potential additional performance incentives of up to $20 million. “My shoulder feels great, back feels great, all that stuff,” the 36-year-old said. “I don’t know. Obviously, I don’t want to keep getting hurt all the time. It’s not fun to do that. But I also really love to pitch too. Just got to weigh everything and talk about it, figure it out.”

Kershaw’s 2024 season ends with a 4.50 ERA and 3.87 FIP in 30 innings, striking out 18 percent of batters — the lowest strikeout rate of his career. Analysts note this year was statistically the most challenging of his career, a marked change from his usual dominance on the mound.