Clayton Kershaw Pulls Himself From Game With Injury

This is not a good sight for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Before the 5th inning of today's start against the San Francisco Giants, Clayton Kershaw pulled himself from the game, and the body-language & lip-reading broadcast crew can see it's his back: 

Clayton Kershaw exited his start early and appears to mention his back as the reason why

(via @NBCSGiants) pic.twitter.com/dqcBw7dWWD

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 4, 2022

Kershaw can be seen holding his hip, and motioning to the dugout after feeling something during his warmup tosses in the 5th. On a close-up he can be seen telling the trainer "my back." Not good, as he missed over a month earlier this season with an SI (sacroiliac) joint injury. This looks like a similar issue.

The Dodger legend made his 9th All-Star appearance this season, after coming out of 2021 wondering if the toll on his body after 14 years was enough to send him into retirement. 

But he decided to give it another go, and he's returned to ace status, pitching to a 2.66 ERA with a 0.98 WHIP, with an 84:14 K:BB ration in 81 innings. 

Hopefully this is not something that will keep him out for any length of time.

Photo: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports