Throw from mound timetable awaited for Kershaw from Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw played catch again Wednesday, but the team still has not announced a timetable for when the three-time Cy Young Award winner will throw from a mound. Kershaw's spring training preparation has been slowed by inflammation in his pitching shoulder. Manager Dave Roberts already has conceded that Kershaw, 30, will not pitch on Opening Day, ending his club-record streak of starting eight consecutive season openers.

Roberts has taken to describing Kershaw's level of optimism after the pitcher started feeling better this week thanks to anti-inflammatory medication. Roberts said that Kershaw seemed "more than encouraged" this week, calling his outlook "excited." Kershaw is entering his 12th season, all with the Dodgers. He has a lifetime record of 153-69 with a 2.39 ERA. He has 2,275 strikeouts in 2,096 1/3 innings.

With Kershaw not starting in the season opener three weeks, the Dodgers are left to come up with an alternate plan, but Roberts was not ready to reveal that Wednesday, according to reports from spring training camp in Arizona. The Dodgers could go with veteran left-hander Rich Hill as their starter in the March 28 opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, or they could pitch young right-hander Walker Buehler in that game. The Dodgers also have Kenta Maeda, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Julio Urias and Ross Stripling as starting options.