Left-hander Clayton Kershaw is "very likely" to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting rotation on Thursday, manager Dave Roberts said Monday
Kershaw hasn't pitched since June 27, when he held the Colorado Rockies to one hit over six innings. After that outing, he was placed on the injured list with left shoulder soreness
The Dodgers have set their rotation for the first three games this week. Tony Gonsolin will pitch Monday afternoon against the San Diego Padres, with Julio Urias and Bobby Miller scheduled to start Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, in Phoenix when the Dodgers play the Arizona Diamondbacks
That would line up Kershaw, 35, to pitch at home Thursday to start a four-game series against the Rockies. In his career, he has a 27-11 record with a 3.33 ERA and 312 strikeouts in 49 starts against Colorado
The Dodgers had been targeting an early August return for Kershaw, a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner
Kershaw is 10-4 with a 2.55 ERA in 16 starts this season. He has struck out 105 batters in 95 1/3 innings
In his 16th season, all with the Dodgers, Kershaw has a 207-91 career record with a 2.48 ERA and 2,912 strikeouts
--Field Level Medi