Clayton Kershaw's recovery seemed to be going well…until Monday that is. The Los Angeles Dodgers decided to shut down the pitcher due to “lingering soreness” in his shoulder, per Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett. While MRI results have shown no new issues, Kershaw won't be throwing for a week or so before his progression resumes.

The left-hander underwent shoulder surgery back in November to repair glenohumeral ligaments, just a month after the Dodgers were eliminated in the NLDS. He hasn't thrown a pitch yet this season, and LA will have to keep on trudging without him on the mound.

Nevertheless, team manager Dave Roberts isn't too worried about Kershaw's progress.

“You go through surgery. You go through rehab. You start throwing. You ramp up velocity, workload,” Roberts said, via ESPN, “and there is bound to be some soreness, and that's where we're at. So then you do the scan to see if there's a new incident, which there wasn't, so that's why we feel very comfortable and confident that this is just a blip.”

Injuries have plagued the Dodgers as of late

The Dodgers (48-31) are currently the second-best team in the National League, sitting at three wins behind the Philadelphia Phillies. However, it isn't smooth sailing for them at the moment; Clayton Kershaw's injury is just one of many that the Dodgers are facing.

In the rotation, five other pitchers are hurt as well. Walker Buehler was placed on the IL last Wednesday because of a hip injury. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is dealing with a strained rotator cuff. Emmet Sheehan is out for the season due to UCL surgery. Tony Gonsolin (Tommy John) and Justin May (flexor tendon) are both recovering from surgeries as well. Additionally, a number of relievers have also been placed on the IL.

Perhaps the biggest injury plaguing the Dodgers this season involves Mookie Betts. The shortstop suffered a fractured hand over a week ago in a game against the Kansas City Royals. Betts will be sidelined for around six to eight weeks before seeing action once again.

Furthermore, third baseman Max Muncy (oblique) is also out and is forecasted to return after the All-Star break.

Despite the rough patch of road at present, the Dodgers are still competitors. With Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman leading the way, the team continues to hold their own against top-notch competition — a glimpse of how much talent the Dodgers boast. Once everyone is fully healthy, fans surely expect nothing less than an eighth World Series victory.