Clayton Kershaw Exits Game with Toe Injury, Dodgers Lose Lead

Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ veteran left-hander, was forced to leave his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night due to pain in his left big toe. The injury occurred in the second inning after Kershaw allowed two runs in the first and gave up a home run to Corbin Carroll to start the inning. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts immediately pulled Kershaw from the game, bringing in an athletic trainer to assess the situation. Kershaw had just returned from offseason shoulder surgery and had made six starts since rejoining the Dodgers lineup. The injury raises concerns about his future availability, particularly with the Dodgers facing a tough stretch of games. The Dodgers, who were leading the Diamondbacks by four games in the NL West, saw their lead shrink to just one run after Kershaw’s exit. The team has been plagued by pitching injuries this season, with key players like Walker Buehler, Brusdar Graterol, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto sidelined.