Clayton Kershaw will reportedly miss four to six weeks

Clayton Kershaw will miss anywhere from four to six weeks based on an initial report from the best in the business when it comes to baseball news, Ken Rosenthal.

The initial report isn’t a shock given Kershaw’s history of back issues going back to last season the he missed more than two months with a herniated disc. That doesn’t make the blow of losing the best pitcher in baseball any easier to hear.

With a comfortable 10.5-game lead in the NL West, the Dodgers certainly aren't panicking to make a move to replace their ace. The depth of the team should allow the Dodgers to continue their winning ways with an eye toward the playoffs.

It’s unclear whether the Dodgers will make a strong push for another starter before next week’s trade deadline. The names of Sonny Gray and Yu Darvish have been linked to Los Angeles but the hurdle of giving up top prospects is something the Dodgers have yet to do while Andrew Friedman and company have been in charge.

As long as the timetable of four to six weeks holds true for Kershaw to return, trade or not, the Dodgers are still in good shape to go after their ultimate goal of winning the World Series.