Dodgers’ Kershaw may miss 4-6 weeks
Braced for the worst possible news on injured ace Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers tried to find some comfort Monday that his back diagnosis did not appear as dire as last season.
The Dodgers put their All-Star left-hander on the 10-day disabled list, a day after he exited a start after two innings. They called the injury a lower back strain, not the herniated disk issue that sidelined him for 2½ months last year.
A report by Fox Sports said Kershaw, who is 15-2 with a 2.04 ERA, would miss four to six weeks.
“Relative to the scan from last year, much better,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We have to take it day to day and see how he responds to medication and rest.
“A timetable was kind of put out there, but we don’t know. With Clayton, medicine and his desire, anything can happen.”
If the early report holds, he would be able to return in early September, plenty of time to prepare for the postseason.
The Dodgers entered Monday with a 68-31 record and a 10½-game lead in the NL West.
Last season when he was hurt, the team went 38-24 while he was out.
The Dodgers have not named his replacement in the rotation. They also put right-hander Brandon McCarthy on the DL with a blister issue, activated left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (foot bruise) and started him against the Twins on Monday.
Royals acquire Cahill: The Royals acquired three pitchers from the Padres, getting former A’s starter Trevor Cahill, closer Brandon Maurer and reliever Ryan Buchter.
Kansas City sent pitchers Matt Strahm and Travis Wood, minor-league infielder Esteury Ruiz and cash to San Diego.
The Royals began Monday tied with the Rays for the second AL wild-card spot and 1½ games behind the AL Central-leading Indians.
Cahill was 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 11 starts for the Padres. The right-hander was an All-Star with Oakland in 2010. Maurer is 20-for-23 on save tries, and 1-4 with a 5.72 ERA.
Buchter is 3-3 with one save and a 3.05 ERA in 42 games. The lefty pitched 67 times for the Padres last year.
Twins trade for Garcia: Hoping to bolster their rotation for a playoff run, the Twins got left-handed pitcher Jaime García, catcher Anthony Recker and cash from the Braves for minor-league righty Huascar Ynoa.
Garcia is 66-52 with a 3.65 ERA and 808 strikeouts in 176 appearances, mostly with St. Louis (2008, 201016). He was 4-7 with a 4.30 ERA, 41 walks and 85 strikeouts in 18 starts for the Braves this year.
Briefly: The Mets put pitcher Zack Wheeler on the 10-day DL (stress reaction in right arm). New York recalled righty Tyler Pill from Triple-A Las Vegas . ... Rangers starter Tyson Ross was put on the 10-day DL (blister on right index finger) and Texas also recalled catcher Brett Nicholas from Triple-A Round Rock . ... The Red Sox promoted third baseman prospect Rafael Devers, 20, from Triple-A Pawtucket . ... Padres shortstop Erick Aybar, placed on the DL Saturday, has a broken foot that could sideline him for the rest of the season, according to multiple reports. He was hurt when he fouled a ball off his foot Friday.