Dodgers notes: All-Star Clayton Kershaw, Chris Taylor in the outfield, Craig Kimbrel sore

A post-holiday perusal of Dodgers-related news and notes.

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Clayton Kershaw should not only make the National League All-Star team, he should start the midsummer classic at Dodger Stadium, writes Dylan Hernández at the Los Angeles Times.

Kershaw for his part said he’d love to get what would be his ninth All-Star nod, to a point. “It’s at Dodger Stadium, I’ve been here a long time, I get all that,” Kershaw said Sunday, per Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic, “but I don’t want to take anybody’s spot that’s more deserving than me and especially if that guy’s on my team.”

Chris Taylor was back in the lineup after fouling a ball off his foot on Saturday. He played left field on Monday, and has yet to play in the infield in 2022, which is rare from the jack of all trades who started at six positions with regularity during his time with the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Taylor will remain in the outfield for the rest of the season, per David Vassegh of 570 AM, not wanting to change his throwing angles in the first season after Taylor had surgery on his elbow.

Craig Kimbrel is down a few days after taking a line drive off his back in Sunday’s loss to San Diego. Kimbrel blew his third save of the last five weeks in that game, the eighth time in his last 15 appearances he’s allowed runs. The loss came after back-to-back perfect innings in the first two games against the Padres. He told Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register, “I think that’s part of the frustration too. I felt like I had really just started putting my foot down and getting on a roll.”