Saturday Dodgers notes: Kershaw owns Padres, Pederson dealing with sore knee, September call-ups

Clayton Kershaw will make his 34th career start against the Padres Saturday, a team he has historically dominated. In what would amount to a full season’s worth of games against San Diego, the left-hander is 18-6 with a 1.89 ERA, striking out 227 and allowing just 142 hits in 214 ²⁄₃ innings of work.

Baseball Reference

Over his last 13 starts against the Friars, Kershaw is 10-0 with a 0-89 ERA, giving up 12 runs (nine earned) and 36 hits in 90 ²⁄₃ innings.

The last time the Dodgers lost a game to the Padres in a game Kershaw started was back on June 21, 2013. That was the day before the Dodgers started their magical 42-8 run that launched the success they’ve had over the previous five seasons.

Coming into Saturday night, Kershaw has returned to being a dominant starter. Over his last 10 starts, the 30-year-old is 5-1 with a 1.96 ERA. Despite not having his best stuff, Kershaw has a strikeouts-to-walk ratio better than seven and has limited opponents to a .528 OPS.

In looking at where Kershaw sits on the career strikeouts list, he would need 10 strikeouts to tie the next name on the list, Tommy John.

Rehab Report

There were several updates to rehabbing pitchers and other injury news Saturday as the season creeps closer to expanded rosters in September.

-Ross Stripling threw to hitters at Dodger Stadium prior to the game and said he passed all the tests with flying colors. The right-hander, nursing a sore back, will be activated from the disabled Tuesday when the team heads to Texas for a short two-game series with the Rangers.

-Julio Urias will be activated as expected in September, although there is no set date — at least publicly. The left-hander will be used in relief and has been stretched out for multiple innings.

-Josh Fields is another reliever on the list of pitchers coming back in September. The team hasn’t said if it will be September 1, but they have said it won’t be before. The right-hander has been rehabbing at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

-Joc Pederson is day-to-day after fouling a pitch off his left knee Friday. With a right-hander on the mound tonight for San Diego, Pederson would normally be leading off. Instead Max Muncy gets the call while starting at first.

The Dodgers have a huge four-game series coming up with the Diamondbacks next weekend. Make sure you’re there as the Dodgers push for the postseason. Get your tickets right here.

Updated rotation plans