Pirates vs. Dodgers Monday MLB probable pitchers, odds: Michael Grove, not Clayton Kershaw, expected to start for Los Angeles

On Sunday night, Los Angeles Dodgers ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw was named to his 10th All-Star Game, tying a franchise record. Whether the future Hall of Famer can pitch in next week's game is in doubt because he's not likely to be allowed to pitch Monday in his normal spot in the rotation against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates due to injury and could go on the injured list. It should be Michael Grove instead. The sportsbooks are waiting to post game lines.

The 35-year-old Kershaw has been injury prone in recent years and removed himself from a dominant start against the Rockies in Denver last Tuesday (6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER) due to an injury that has since been revealed to be left shoulder inflammation. Kershaw got a cortisone injection and hasn't thrown off a mound since, only playing some catch on Saturday in Kansas City. That seems the clear giveaway about his status Monday.

Kershaw is also lined up to start Sunday against the Angels in the final game before the All-Star break, so Kershaw wouldn't be eligible to pitch in the All-Star Game if that were the case, and it thus may make the most sense to put him on the 15-day IL today and use the roster spot. Kershaw has already thrown 95.1 innings this season after throwing just 126.1 all of last year.

The 26-year-old Grove is 0-2 with a 7.54 ERA in his nine big-league appearances (seven starts) this year. He will be recalled from Triple-A again if and when Kershaw lands on the IL. Grove faced the Pirates once last year, allowing three runs in an inning.

Pittsburgh's Mitch Keller (9-3, 3.34 ERA) was named to his first All-Star team and will take the hill. The 27-year-old is the first Iowan picked to play in MLB's Midsummer Classic since Tony Watson in 2014. The nine victories are already a career high for Keller and the most by a Pirate since Ivan Nova also had nine in 2017. Keller's 118 strikeouts before the All-Star break are the fifth-most in team history. He beat the visiting Dodgers on April 27, allowing two runs over six innings. 

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