underwent two surgeries last November, addre sing both his left knee (a torn left meniscus) and his left big toe (a ruptured plantar plate). It was known that Kershaw would begin the season on the 60-day injured list and thus be sidelined until late May, but the future Hall-of-Famer shared some updates on his recovery proce s with and other reporters yesterday. Today will mark the first time since last season that Kershaw has faced hitters, as hell take part in a live batting practice se sion prior to the Dodgers game with the Tigers. This is the latest and most notable step in a slower ramp-up proce s that Kershaw said was like going through spring training right now, basically . I wouldnt say its perfect, but definitely getting there , Kershaw said. I think overall its good progre s. Im not going to be happy until Im out on the mound. But I think Blake Perkins Jersey everybody doctors and training staff would say Im doing what I need to be doing . Despite this positive view, there isnt yet a set timeline in place for Kershaws return to the L.A. rotation, apart from the loose target date of the first day he is eligible to be activated off the 60-day IL. Kershaw said the plan is to build to game action, with an eye towards being in at least a minor league rehab a signment by the time late May rolls around. The recovery from toe surgery is the larger i sue than the knee surgery, as Kershaw noted that his toe problem relates specifically to his ability to push off the rubber. Theres been only one or two baseball players that have had this surgery as well, adding to the fluidity in the recovery proce s, even if theres no reason yet why a late May activation wouldnt be po sible. Its just kind of hard to gue s when it heals compared to when you feel good enough to push off a mound. Kind of the timeline Ive said before is kind of what weve all decided on , Kershaw said. Kershaw signed a one-year deal worth $7.5MM in guaranteed money (with more than twice that amount available in incentives) to return for what will be his 18th season both in the majors and with the Dodgers. He spent last winter also recovering from back surgery, and between that rehab proce s and then the toe i sues that surfaced later in the year, Kershaw played only a limited role in the Dodgers championship season. The southpaw posted a 4.50 ERA over a career-low 30 innings, and didnt see any action in the playoffs. Los Angeles will eventually be adopting a six-man rotation once its injured starters get healthy, though the sheer number of arms on the roster could make for quite a logjam if everyone is available. Beyond Kershaw, is also expected to make his return to the mound this season, even if Ohtanis pitching ramp-up at this point, even as he continues to slug away as the Dodgers designated hitter. is another rotation candidate on the mend, and he threw his own live BP se sion on Friday. Gonsolin had a Tommy John surgery in late August 2023, and he mi sed all of last season despite some faint hopes that he mightve been able to get back to action at the very end of September. This seemingly paved the way for Gonsolin to be fully ready to go for this seasons opener, but he was shelved again on the 15-day IL when he hurt his back while lifting weights this spring. I felt like my body was feeling great.And then to have something like that non-baseball-related [injury] really sucked, honestly , Gonsolin told Plunkett. I dont really have any other words for it. But again, its a minor setback, and Ill try to take this time to build back up and get into an even better position . Freddy Peralta Jersey