The Los Angeles Dodgers were looking for a sweep of the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. They had future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw on the mound, so the chances looked good. Well, that's why they play the game. While throwing his warmup pitches in the top of the 5th inning, Kershaw appeared to injure himself.

The trainer would come out and Kershaw would be forced from the game. It appeared as though Kershaw said to the trainer as he was leaving the field, “It's my back.”

Back injuries are never a good thing, especially for an aging superstar who has dealt with back injuries before. Kershaw already spent time on the injured list this season with right SI joint inflammation. That affects the buttocks and lower back. The last thing the Dodgers need is another setback in their rotation.

After dominating almost all season, Tony Gonsolin has suddenly hit a wall. Walker Buehler is already on the 60-day injured list with a forearm injury. He's dealing with a Grade 2 right flexor strain and is not expected back until sometime in September at the earlier.

If the Dodgers lose Clayton Kershaw for an extended period of time, it could really hurt their chances at home field advantage. They recently passed the New York Yankees for the best record in the major leagues. At the trade deadline, the San Diego Padres bulked up, trading for Juan Soto and Josh Bell. They now have one of the, if not the, most formidable lineups in baseball to go with their deep, healthy rotation.

There is sure to be an update from the Dodgers on Kershaw after Thursday's game.