The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, center, is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after he hit a go-ahead three-run home run during the fourth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws to the plate during the fourth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. Kershaw left after warming up for the fifth inning with what the team called lower back pain. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux catches a line out hit by the San Francisco Giants’ Austin Slater during the first inning on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The San Francisco Giants’ Jakob Junis throws to the plate during the second inning of their game against the Dodgers on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Dodgers’ Joey Gallo stands in the on-deck circle during the second inning of their game against the Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers outfielder Joey Gallo gets ready to take his first at-bat as a Dodger during the second inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Max Muncy runs home to score against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, foreground, reacts as the San Francisco Giants’ J.D. Davis, rear, rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The San Francisco Giants’ J.D. Davis, right, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run that scored Yermin Mercedes (6) during the second inning of their game against the Dodgers on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws to the plate during the third inning of their game against the Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts hits a go-ahead three-run home run during the fourth inning of their game against the Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts watches the flight of his go-ahead three-run home run during the fourth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts celebrates after hitting a go-ahead three-run home run during the fourth inning of their game against the Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, center, is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after he hit a go-ahead three-run home run during the fourth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Joey Gallo is tagged out by San Francisco Giants catcher Austin Wynns during the fourth inning on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Joey Gallo is tagged out by San Francisco Giants catcher Austin Wynns during the fourth inning on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Joey Gallo, left, is tagged out at home by San Francisco Giants catcher Austin Wynns during the fourth inning on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers outfielder Joey Gallo watches a video replay in the dugout after he was tagged out by the San Francisco Giants’ Austin Wynns during the fourth inning on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. Kershaw left after warming up for the fifth inning with what the team called lower back pain. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw walks through the dugout after he was pulled from the game before the fifth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. Kershaw left after warming up for the fifth inning with what the team called lower back pain. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw pours water on his head in the dugout during their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. Kershaw left after warming up for the fifth inning with what the team called lower back pain. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Joey Gallo is tagged by San Francisco Giants first baseman David Villar after grounding out during the fifth inning on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers left fielder Joey Gallo catches a fly ball hit by the San Francisco Giants’ Luis Gonzalez during the fifth inning on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler argues with umpire Phil Cuzzi during the sixth inning of their game against the Dodgers on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler, left, makes a point to umpire Phil Cuzzi, second from left, after being ejected during the sixth inning of their game against the Dodgers on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler, left, reacts toward the umpire crew after being ejected during the sixth inning of their game against the Dodgers on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner, right, is congratulated by Freddie Freeman after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of their game against the Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Dodgers’ Trea Turner, right, is congratulated by Freddie Freeman after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of their game against the Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers relief pitcher Chris Martin throws to the plate during the sixth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers catcher Will Smith, left, celebrates with relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel after the final out of their victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Dodgers’ Joey Gallo, left, third base coach Dino Ebel, center fielder Cody Bellinger and first base coach Clayton McCullough, right, celebrate after the Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Dodgers’ Joey Gallo warms up before a game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw warms up in the bullpen before their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw stands in the dugout during their game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in San Francisco. Kershaw left after warming up for the fifth inning with what the team called lower back pain. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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SAN FRANCISCO — It happened again.
Clayton Kershaw took the mound at Oracle Park on Thursday afternoon and began warming up for the fifth inning before suddenly stopping in obvious discomfort. After trying to throw one more pitch, Kershaw looked to the dugout and left the field before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and trainer Thomas Albert could even reach the pitcher’s mound.
As he walked to the dugout, cameras caught Kershaw appearing to say to Albert, “It’s my back.”
Of course it is.
Since first missing time with a herniated disc in 2016, Kershaw has lived with chronic back pain and the constant specter of injury. He has gone to the injured list multiple times in the six years since with iterations of the back issue. Most recently, the 34-year-old Kershaw spent a month on the IL earlier this season with sacroiliac joint inflammation in his lower back.
“More back stuff,” Kershaw said after the game, those three words covering six years of pain and frustration.
“Just felt something kind of lock up there in the fifth. Couldn’t really throw after that. Something in my back again.”
Kershaw would not offer any comparisons to previous flareups nor offer any predictions – optimistic or otherwise – about how long he might be sidelined this time. Roberts said the veteran left-hander will undergo testing on Friday.
“We’ll see how I wake up in the morning. That’s probably the first thing. Then go from there,” Kershaw said.
In the short term, the Dodgers have two off days next week to absorb Kershaw’s subtraction from the starting rotation. In the longer view, Dustin May is expected to make two more rehab starts in Triple-A (though that will be re-evaluated after his next outing) before he could rejoin the Dodgers. And, eventually, the Dodgers hope Walker Buehler can return from his own injury before the end of the regular season.
“I’m not going to try to get too far out ahead of it,” Roberts said. “Obviously any time a pitcher has to come out of a game, there’s somewhat concern level. Given it’s his back, which has been problematic at times … we just won’t know more until we get some tests.”
Whatever this latest pain portends for the three-time Cy Young Award winner or the Dodgers’ pitching plans going forward, it didn’t slow them down in the present. A three-run home run by Mookie Betts lifted them to another victory over last year’s 100-win dance partners, 5-3.
The win was the Dodgers’ 27th in their past 32 games, a stretch that now includes a pair of four-game sweeps over the San Francisco Giants – one at home and the first one in San Francisco since July 1977.
The closest the Giants came to putting up a fight came in the top of the sixth when Giants reliever Jarlin Garcia struck out Cody Bellinger and James Outman to end the inning. After each strikeout, Garcia gestured toward the Dodgers’ dugout, tapping his fist against his forehead in a mocking reference to the “Wolf of Wall Street”-inspired celebration Dodgers hitters have used this season.
After the strikeout of Outman ended the inning, Garcia aimed the gesture toward Betts in the on-deck circle.
“I didn’t do anything. It was all surprising to me,” Betts said. “He just pointed at me and did our hit signal. I guess he felt a certain way. I don’t know. You have to ask him.”
Garcia later explained (through an interpreter) that he was just trying to show that he was “competing.” Betts hit a home run off Garcia during the series in Los Angeles after the All-Star break – and did the gesture as he rounded the bases.
“It’s competing. That’s what the game is. I got caught up in the moment,” Garcia said.
“It wasn’t trying to be disrespectful with anyone. Mookie Betts is one of my favorite players. I respect all of them, but especially him. But just getting caught up in the moment, trying to compete.”
Betts took exception and stalked from the on-deck circle, asking Garcia “What’s your problem?” before he was intercepted by the home plate umpire. Garcia threw out his arms and continued to stare toward Betts as he walked to the Giants’ dugout. First base umpire Phil Cuzzi followed Garcia and pointed at him as he appeared to admonish Giants manager Gabe Kapler about any further taunting from the Giants left-hander.
Kapler exploded in response, later saying he didn’t feel it was appropriate for Cuzzi to “scold” him in front of the dugout. Kapler was quickly ejected from the game as was Garcia.
“We didn’t need any prompting,” Kapler said. “I’d already gotten Jarlin off the field. He was in the dugout. At that point, things were under control. I took exception to that. No reason for us to have that conversation right there in front of our dugout.”
An inning later, Trea Turner hit a solo home run to pad the Dodgers’ lead – and tapped his forehead in celebration as he rounded the bases. The gesture was returned with extra vigor from the Dodgers’ dugout.
“Yeah, for sure,” Betts said. “You started it. I’m not going to back down at that point. I’m not going to run away from it. I’m not going to encourage it, but I’m not going to run away.”
That was enough cushion for the relief relay that followed Kershaw. Phil Bickford, Chris Martin, Caleb Ferguson and Alex Vesia pitched a scoreless inning each, only Bickford allowing a baserunner.
But Craig Kimbrel had another sloppy save, allowing a run on a Brandon Belt double and a run-scoring wild pitch before closing it out.
"Just felt something kind of lock up there in the fifth and couldn't really throw after that." @ClaytonKersh22 on his back. pic.twitter.com/zMI9gMXIV0
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 4, 2022
Mookie crushes HR No. 25 for the lead. 💪 pic.twitter.com/aQydPPVT6x
— MLB (@MLB) August 4, 2022
.@treavturner with a solo shot to center! 👋#Dodgers lead the #SFGiants, 5-2. pic.twitter.com/p8hTh8HWw6
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 4, 2022
