Clayton Kershaw to Start vs. Padres After Back Injury; Cody Bellinger to Play 1B

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Sunday Clayton Kershaw will start for the first time in over a month when the team faces off with the San Diego Padres on Friday, the Southern California News Group's J.P. Hoornstra reported.The three-time Cy Young Award winner hasn't pitched since going two innings in a 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on July 23. The Dodgers placed him on the 10-day disabled list with a lower back strain.Along with Kershaw's return, Los Angeles should have Cody Bellinger back in the lineup soon after a right ankle sprain sent him to the DL earlier this month as well. According to Spectrum SportsNet LA's Alanna Rizzo, the Dodgers hope to have Bellinger back for Wednesday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Hoornstra tweeted he'll play first base.The Dodgers haven't exactly struggled since Kershaw's last start. They're 23-7 from July 24 until Sunday's 3-2 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers. According to the Brewers' official Twitter account, Milwaukee is the first team to take a series against Los Angeles since the Dodgers dropped two of three games to the Washington Nationals on June 7.Still, there's no question Kershaw would be an invaluable member of the rotation as the franchise looks to reach the World Series for the first time since 1988.Despite only making 21 starts, the left-hander is eighth among pitchers in WAR (4.1), according to FanGraphs. He boasts a 15-2 record with a 2.04 ERA and a 2.92 FIP.Bellinger, meanwhile, will give even more power to a Dodgers lineup that ranks sixth in runs (643) and third in slugging percentage (.449). The 22-year-old is a shoo-in for National League Rookie of the Year after putting together a .274/.356/.612 slash line through his first 101 games.Bellinger also leads the Dodgers in home runs (34) and RBI (79).
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