MIAMI -- Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw flashed some no-hit stuff Tuesday night as he continued to build up his arm.
In a lopsided matchup between a future Hall of Famer and Rookie-level hitters, Kershaw twirled six hitless innings against the Reds' Arizona Complex League affiliate. Righty Yoryi Simarra extended the no-hit bid through the seventh inning before the ACL Reds finally connected in the eighth.
Even more noteworthy for the Dodgers, manager Dave Roberts said that Kershaw's next rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City this coming Sunday could be his last before rejoining the big league club. Kershaw is on the 60-day injured list and will be eligible to be activated on May 17.
During the weekend of Kershaw's potential return, the Dodgers will be midway through a stretch of nine straight games without an off-day. That follows the current stretch of 10 games in as many days during the team's three-city road trip through Atlanta, Miami and Phoenix.
"The timing is perfect," Roberts said, "given [we are] dropping guys in, playing 19 games in 20 days.”
Kershaw struck out four against one walk in his fourth Minor League rehab outing, building up to around 80 pitches after continuing to throw in the bullpen. It represented more steady progress for the 37-year-old southpaw -- who threw five innings on 66 pitches in his previous rehab start with Oklahoma City last Wednesday -- as he works toward his return from offseason surgeries on his left toe and left knee.
The Dodgers could certainly use another healthy arm in the rotation. They're using only four pitchers in traditional starting roles with two members of the Opening Day rotation -- Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow -- on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. Both are expected to resume throwing this weekend. The club is also likely a couple of months away from getting Shohei Ohtani back as a pitcher.
Before Kershaw began his rehab assignment, he said that while his arm is in great shape, his surgically repaired toe has taken more time to come around, affecting the final push-off in his delivery. Roberts has said that the veteran southpaw has felt incrementally better with every outing he gets under his belt.