The Los Angeles Dodgers were dealt a brutal blow last Friday as they placed veteran lefty Clayton Kershaw on the 15-day IL with back pain after he left his latest start early. While it's unknown when exactly he could be back at this point, Kershaw is very confident he'll have enough time to get ready for a hopeful World Series run.

Via David Vassegh:

Thankfully, Kershaw's MRI didn't show any serious damage. He's had back problems in the past though so it's not exactly a new injury and even received an epidural shot to ease the pain. The southpaw has been pitching very well for the Dodgers this season, going 7-3 with a 2.64 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 88 in 85.1 innings and walking only 15.

Despite his absence, Los Angeles is currently on fire. They've won 10 straight games and now have the best record in all of baseball at 77-33. Clayton Kershaw actually did some light throwing earlier this week and although it was limited, this is a good sign that he could return sooner rather than later.

With the Dodgers cruising along, the most important thing is being able to ramp up his workload before the playoffs. Kershaw is an important piece to the puzzle for Dave Roberts' squad and they'll definitely need him healthy in October. Clearly, he believes that will be the case.

The Dodgers look to continue their wild win streak this weekend as they begin a three-game set with the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.