With the postseason beckoning, it seems like the Los Angeles Dodgers are setting their sights towards ensuring that their team has the best chance of mounting a deep run in what should be their 11th straight trip to the playoffs. To that end, manager Dave Roberts and company are looking to keep veteran starter Clayton Kershaw fresh for the stretch run, and, perhaps, time his starts accordingly for the playoffs.
As a result of this, the Dodgers will be pushing Kershaw's start back to Saturday, putting him in line to start against the Seattle Mariners, per Dodger Insider. Kershaw was originally slated to pitch for the team on Monday when the Dodgers take on NL West division rival San Diego Padres. The good news is that the Dodgers won't be pushing Kershaw's start back due to anything injury-related, as the team is just shuffling the deck in preparation for the path that lies ahead.
In Clayton Kershaw's place, the Dodgers will be calling upon Gavin Stone to start. Stone's numbers at the big league level have been abysmal, as he has put up a dreadful 10.50 ERA in 18 innings pitched. Moreover, his Triple-A statistics haven't exactly been convincing either, as he is currently pitching to the tune of 4.74 ERA in 21 games in Oklahoma City (19 starts). But at the very least, given the Dodgers' starting pitching situation, it'll give them a bit of comfort that someone with big league experience will be taking the mound against the Padres.
The original plan seemed like it was supposed to be Ryan Yarbrough who will draw the start during Kershaw's extended rest. However, per Ardaya, Yarbrough recently entered paternity leave after welcoming his second daughter.
It will be interesting to see how this extended rest period will affect Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw made it known in the past that he's not a fan of load management, as he sees the merit in pushing through discomfort amid a grueling season. The 35-year old starter, should he start against the Mariners on Friday, will have nine days of rest in between starts. But in the long run, this may end up being rewarding for the Dodgers anyway.