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Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is poised to step back onto the mound this Saturday, making his highly anticipated season debut against the Los Angeles Angels. The announcement came from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, with the team preparing to activate Kershaw from the 60-day injured list.

Kershaw, who began this season on the 60-day IL, has been recuperating from offseason surgeries on his left knee and left foot. His journey back to the majors included five rehab starts across minor league games starting from April 16. During these appearances, Kershaw has posted an impressive 2.57 ERA over 21 innings. His preparation culminated on May 6 when he reached six innings for the team's complex affiliate, and most recently, he pitched four frames and threw 57 pitches for Triple-A Oklahoma City this past Sunday.

Kershaw's comeback follows a challenging previous season, where he was limited to just seven starts. The early part of 2023 was spent recovering from a shoulder procedure, and bone spurs in his foot led to another stint on the injured list in late August, preventing his participation during the Dodgers' World Series run. He concluded last season with a 4.50 ERA over 30 innings.

In other rotation news for the Dodgers, Roki Sasaki has reported arm soreness following his start on Friday, as disclosed by Roberts via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The team has yet to determine if this will require Sasaki to be placed on the injured list. Sasaki has had a turbulent start to his MLB career, having only completed six innings in one of his initial eight outings. His early statistics include a 4.72 ERA, with underwhelming strikeout and walk rates.

If Sasaki manages to avoid the injured list, Kershaw’s return could see the Dodgers moving back to a six-man rotation. The team is currently operating a five-man rotation due to injuries to Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Sasaki, and Landon Knack filling the current roster.

Kershaw's return is eagerly anticipated as it promises to bring veteran stability and experience to the Dodgers’ rotation as they navigate the season.