Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw makes season debut, allows 2 runs in 4 innings

Clayton Kershaw made his 2024 season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, getting a matinee start against the rival San Francisco Giants.

The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner pitched four innings, allowing two runs with six hits and two walks. He struck out six batters in 72 pitches.

Joe Kelly, also recently activated from the injured list, relieved Kershaw in the fifth and threw a scoreless inning, allowing one hit and one walk with three strikeouts.

Kershaw, 36, hadn’t pitched for the Dodgers this season after recovering from surgery in November to repair his left shoulder capsule and the ligaments around the ball-and-socket joint. His first attempt to rejoin the Dodgers began in June, but he felt lingering soreness after a rehab start and was shut down.

However, his latest rehab assignment was more successful with three starts for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. After what was essentially a spring training ramp-up for him, he was finally added to the Dodgers’ rotation.

Last season, Kershaw started 24 games, striking out 137 in 131 2/3 innings and compiling a 2.46 ERA.