Kershaw to throw off mound on Saturday

For the first time since June 26, Clayton Kershaw will throw off a mound.

The left-hander, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a herniated disk, is scheduled to throw a light bullpen session on Saturday, according to MLB.com's Evan Webeck.

If it goes well, the goal is to get Kershaw to pitch in a rehab assignment before the minor-league season ends at the beginning of September.

"Our expectation is that he would go out there and face hitters," Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "As we look at the calendar, we feel that there's time for Clayton to make a couple, two, three starts before the end of the season"

While it may seem like the Dodgers are rushing their ace a bit, Roberts made it clear they wouldn't proceed if he was feeling pain. He confirmed Kershaw is pain-free after extending the length of his long toss and frequency of his throwing regime.

Despite the Dodgers' broken rotation - Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brandon McCarthy, Rich Hill, and Kershaw are all currently injured - the club has still managed to take over first place in the division.

Not only that, but the prospect of seeing a healthy group of pitchers excites Roberts as the playoffs loom.

"If Clayton's back, if Rich is back, Kenta (Maeda)'s throwing the ball the way he's throwing, and you get the other guys in the rotation, obviously it sets up well for our club," Roberts said. "Right now, those guys are working their way back. But the most encouraging thing for me is that we're not waiting for guys to get back.

"We're taking care of the business at hand," he added. "That's been our mindset since day one. But certainly, when we get those guys back, we're better for it."