Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Kershaw (back) will be part of a six-man rotation for "a couple weeks at the bare minimum" when the southpaw returns from the 15-day injured list, most likely during the upcoming week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Roberts disclosed that a decision on when Kershaw will pitch next has already been reached, but the skipper wasn't yet ready to reveal which day the southpaw will take the hill. It's possible the Dodgers send Kershaw to a minor-league affiliate for a tune-up start, but because he already built up to 70 pitches in a simulated game Saturday, he's seemingly stretched out enough to rejoin the big-league rotation. Since Thursday's matchup with the Mets would align with a typical four-day rest schedule and is also the same day that the Dodgers' active roster will expand from 26 men to 28, that contest might represent the most logical time for Los Angeles to activate Kershaw and slot him into the rotation.