Clayton Kershaw disagreed with Dodgers honoring Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Clayton Kershaw in an interview with Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times said he disagreed with the Dodgers’ decision to honor The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium, though he didn’t plan to boycott that night.

It did prompt Kershaw to accelerate the announcement of the Dodgers’ already-planned Christian Faith and Family Day, which is July 30 at Dodger Stadium.

From Harris:

Kershaw declined to offer specifics about his research into the Sisters’ group, or how he reconciles his stated belief “to love everybody” with opposition to a group that, despite his objections, has a long history of raising awareness and money for LGBTQ+ causes.

“I think in these situations, instead of maybe criticizing or trying to find something wrong with a group, it’s better just to focus on what you do believe in,” Kershaw said. “For me, that’s Jesus. So I think that was our best response.”

Michael Grove was at Dodger Stadium on Monday, after making two rehab starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City as he works his way back from a right groin strain. Whether the right-hander is activated this weekend to start against the Yankees will be revealed later this week, Dave Roberts told reporters.

“He’s in a good spot. Having him here, he’s still on rehab. It’s a little cloudy what we’re going to do with Michael as he’s here,” Roberts said Monday, per SportsNet LA. “He’s going to throw a bullpen, and depending on how these next few days go, we’ll make a decision on him, whatever that means.”

A few weeks back, Walker Buehler said his goal is to return from Tommy John surgery to the Dodgers starting rotation by September 1, something on Monday he called “ambitious” during his weekly appearance on the Just Baseball podcast. Buehler also noted his first bullpen session is scheduled for around June 20.

Jon Weisman at his Slayed by Voices newsletter wrote about the Dodgers of late, including this on the now-completed road trip through St. Louis, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay: “Three losses out of four games in St. Louis cost them, but a 5-5 trip would have been a victory in these circumstances, especially given the depleted starting rotation. It’s hard to be too disappointed.”

The Dodgers won’t see old friend Josiah Gray during this series, but the right-hander has improved in his second full year with the Nationals, with a 2.77 ERA and 4.19 xERA in 11 starts. Bill Shaikin at the Los Angeles Times caught up with Gray, who since getting traded to Washington hasn’t had to worry about possibly getting optioned like he might have been with the Dodgers:

“You don’t want to think about when they’re going to get the next guy in to take your spot, but I feel like it’s a reality that we don’t shed light on,” he said. “Just trying to go out there, the best I can, and not thinking about that.”

The Baseball Prospectus staff shared stories of obscure baseball memorabilia on Monday, and I very much enjoyed this particular line about old, worn baseball cards from Patrick Dubuque: “How horrible it would be if these cards were mint condition, locked in slabs, perfect. Instead, they’re worthless: defaced by my having lived through them.”