LOS ANGELES -- After throwing his first bullpen session of the offseason last week, Clayton Kershaw gave an upbeat progress report to Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.
"Kersh felt good," said Honeycutt. "Clayton is getting back in the right direction."
Honeycutt, reflecting the public stance of the organization, is cautiously optimistic that Kershaw's decreased velocity in 2018 is a reversible result of his physical condition and mechanics, not a sign that the franchise ace's career is in decline.
After signing a three-year, $93 million extension in early November, Kershaw said he would use the offseason to heal his body, add strength and flexibility and sync those two improvements to recapture the mechanics and delivery that resulted in three Cy Young Awards and an MVP Award.