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Los Angeles • Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw has been scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday afternoon by the Los Angeles Dodgers because of a sore right hip.
The announcement was made during batting practice before Saturday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers entered the day trailing St. Louis by a game for the second NL wild-card berth.
Kershaw may have to undergo arthroscopic surgery if the pain persists, which would be another blow to a rotation that lost starters Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly to season-ending injuries.
Kershaw is 12-9 with a 2.70 ERA and NL-leading 206 strikeouts, after going 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA and major league-best 248 strikeouts in 2011.
The five-year veteran left-hander also was scratched from a scheduled start Sunday in San Francisco before coming back with seven innings last Monday at Arizona and giving up an unearned run and three hits in a 1-0 loss.
Around the League
Padres • San Diego honored longtime broadcaster Jerry Coleman on Saturday night, unveiling a bronze statue of him at Petco Park.
In a 30-minute pregame ceremony, the club gave thanks to Coleman for his 70 years of major league service — 40 with the Padres — along with his career over two wars as a Marine Corps pilot.
"I think the greatest thing that happened to me was landing in San Diego," said an emotional Coleman. "I don't know where to begin after 70 years. I don't even remember 70 years ago."
Pirates • Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker returned to the starting lineup Saturday against the Chicago Cubs after missing more than two weeks because of lower back tightness.
Walker pinch-hit Friday and struck out with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth inning in the Pirates' 7-4 loss. It was his first game since Aug. 26.
Walker is hitting .280 with 14 homers and 69 RBIs. He rejoins a struggling Pirates lineup that has lost seven straight and averaged just over three runs per game in their last 13. Pittsburgh has only won twice in that span.
Outfielder Travis Snider is also back in the starting lineup. He has gone hitless in four pinch-hit appearances since missing four games because of an injured hamstring.