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The Los Angeles Dodgers confirmed that starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw left Thursday’s game against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the fifth inning with lower back pain, after an injury that occurred during warmup pitches. There have been no official updates about Kershaw’s injury or how it may impact the star pitcher going forward, with the team just calling it “low back pain.”
The three-time Cy Young Award winner allowed three hits, two runs and one home run, and totaled four strikeouts. He left the game with the Dodgers up 4–2; right-hander Phil Bickford replaced Kershaw on the mound for the fifth inning.
The 34-year-old is in his 15th season with the Dodgers, and has dealt with back issues throughout his career. In 2014, Kershaw missed 41 days early in the season with a back inflammation issue, and in 2016, he missed 74 days due to a disc herniation. In 2017, he dealt with a back strain, and deal with ongoing back problems in 2018 and 2020. Kershaw missed one month earlier this season with SI joint inflammation that caused pain in his lower back.
Kershaw currently holds a 2.66 ERA, allowing 66 hits, 27 runs and six home runs in 81.1 innings pitched so far this season, as well as 84 strikeouts and 14 walks.
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