Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw undergoes treatment for back stiffness

Clayton Kershaw received treatment on Monday for lower back stiffness, but Manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers ace would make his start later this week.

Kershaw gave up four runs in six innings on Sunday against the Pirates. Kershaw has been dealing with a back issue for “the last few weeks,” Roberts said.

“I don’t think it affected him [Sunday] night,” Roberts said. “But today, he came up a little sore. Still got through his workout, his post-start workout. It’s day to day, but he’ll be ready for that next start.”

Kershaw confirmed Roberts’ assessment of his condition. He otherwise declined to comment. He is scheduled to pitch on Friday against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.

For the Dodgers, any issue with Kershaw (11-2, 1.79 earned-run average) must be monitored with care. He remains the most valuable player in baseball, according to Baseball-Reference’s version of wins above replacement. But he was less sharp on Sunday, giving up nine hits, walking two batters and striking out only four.

The Wednesday mystery revealed?

The Dodgers had yet to reveal their choice to start Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee, but one of the candidates tipped his hand on Monday afternoon. Brock Stewart, a 24-year-old right-hander, wrote on Twitter that he “got the call.”

“I’m so incredibly fortunate to say that the dreams I’ve had since I was a young boy have come true,” Stewart wrote.

Stewart started this season with class-A Rancho Cucamonga. He rocketed through the California League and the Texas League to reach triple-A Oklahoma City earlier this month. In three starts for Oklahoma City, Stewart struck out 27 batters in 18 2/3 innings with a 2.89 ERA.

The Dodgers did not have many other candidates for the opening. The team tried Nick Tepesch as a starter on Friday, but designated him for assignment after he gave up five runs in four innings. The team is merely looking for a competent placeholder before Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy can return from the rehabilitation assignments.

Follow Andy McCullough on Twitter @McCulloughTimes