The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed back veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw as he made his 2024 season debut against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday afternoon.
Kershaw, a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner, pitched four innings, giving up two runs on six hits and two walks. He managed to strike out six batters in 72 pitches before being relieved by Joe Kelly in the fifth inning.
Joe Kelly, who was also recently activated from the injured list, pitched a scoreless inning, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out three batters.
Kershaw, who is 36 years old, had been sidelined since undergoing surgery in November to repair his left shoulder capsule and ligaments. His initial return in June was halted due to lingering soreness, but after successful rehab starts with the Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City, he was finally able to rejoin the Dodgers’ rotation.
During the previous season, Kershaw started 24 games, striking out 137 batters in 131 2/3 innings while maintaining a solid 2.46 ERA.