Kershaw gearing up to make season debut against Reds

Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw will make his first major league start of 2019 at home Monday against the Cincinnati Reds, the Dodgers announced Thursday. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, working his way back after dealing with left shoulder inflammation during spring training, threw six innings on Tuesday night for Double-A Tulsa. He gave up five hits and two runs -- both on home runs. He struck out six and walked none.

His first rehab start came on April 4 with Triple-A Oklahoma City, when he tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits, including a home run, with two walks and six strikeouts. Last season, Kershaw finished with a 9-5 record and a 2.73 ERA in 26 starts for the Dodgers. In his 11-year career, the left-hander is 153-69 with a 2.39 ERA.

--The Atlanta Braves and 22-year-old second baseman Ozzie Albies agreed to a contract extension before an afternoon press conference officially announcing the deal. The contract could be worth up to $35 million, per reports, and begins with the current season. Albies had been playing this season on a one-year deal worth $575,000.

Albies made the National League All-Star team in his first full season in 2018, when he batted .261 with 24 homers, 72 RBIs and 105 runs in 158 games. Albies entered Thursday night's game against the New York Mets with a .364 average through 11 games. --The Detroit Tigers activated outfielder JaCoby Jones from the injured list. Jones missed the start of the season after spraining an AC joint in his shoulder diving for a ball during a spring training game last month.

Jones, 26, one of the top defensive outfielders in the major leagues, appeared in 129 games for the Tigers last season and hit .207 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs. He also collected 22 doubles. The Tigers designated outfielder Mikie Mahtook for assignment. Mahtook was hitless in 23 at-bats this season.

 

(With inputs from agencies.)