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Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw getting tests done on balky back

By The Sports Xchange
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22). Photo by Rich Kane/UPI
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22). Photo by Rich Kane/UPI | License Photo

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is returning to Los Angeles from Milwaukee on Wednesday morning for tests on his balky lower back.

The left-hander has been bothered by stiffness the past few days and team back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins will supervise the exam.

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Kershaw's next scheduled start isn't until Friday against the Colorado Rockies and manager Dave Roberts is optimistic that he would be able to take the mound then.

"He's not pitching here in Milwaukee, so as we looked at his Friday start, to get him a couple of days back home makes sense," Roberts said. "He will consult with the doctors when he gets back to LA, and we'll see where it goes from there."

In Kershaw's last outing on Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he suffered just his second loss of the season while giving up four runs and nine hits.

"It's been a few weeks where it has been in and out and it has felt good, then it started barking a little bit," Roberts said. "Right now, we want to get some answers."

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Kershaw has an 11-2 record with a National League-leading 1.79 ERA. His 121 innings pitched, 145 strikeouts, 0.727 WHIP and 0.7 walks per nine innings also lead the league.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner has a 16.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio that is on pace to break the major league record of 11.63 set by Phil Hughes with the Minnesota Twins in 2014.

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