The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw has opted out of the postseason

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw's season is officially over after his injured left big toe failed to make significant progress, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.

Kershaw, 36, had not pitched since August 30 because of a bone spur (among other problems with his toe). The three-time Cy Young Award winner was already considered a chance to return during the Dodgers' postseason, which begins Saturday night against the San Diego Padres.

However, Kershaw continued to throw and tried different means of throwing without much discomfort. He never got to the point where he had to face batsmen.

“Clayton did everything he could to move things forward and give himself a chance to compete in the postseason,” Roberts said. “But where he is right now, physically, the foot, the toe, is just not cooperating. It’s actually getting worse.”

Kershaw said he tried his best to come back, but eventually hope ran out. He acknowledged that offseason surgery was a possibility, saying, “It's definitely under discussion.”

“It became pretty mentally taxing to keep pitching,” he said. “It just kept hurting so I had another MRI – and I had only made it worse. Therefore, it makes no sense to continue at this point. It's unfortunate. Of course I'm super frustrated, but it's not getting better, so I can't pitch.

Kershaw made seven starts this season with a 4.50 ERA in 30 innings as he returned from the first major surgery of his career – a repair to the glenohumeral ligaments and the capsule in his left shoulder. The long-time franchise player has long structured his decision to continue playing as a one-year player and has a player option in his contract should he decide to return in 2025.

“I’ll talk about it after the season,” Kershaw said. “Right now I think the focus should be on beating the Padres and that's what I think. I’m going to try to be a good cheerleader as best I can.”

One potential incentive to return: Kershaw is just 32 strikeouts away from 3,000, a career mark reached by only 19 pitchers in major league history.

Obviously there are many other complicating factors. Kershaw said he will decide his future with the help of his wife.

“My shoulder feels great. My back feels great. All that stuff,” he said. “Look, I don’t know. Of course I don't want to get hurt all the time. It's not fun to do that. But I also really enjoy pitching. So you just have to weigh everything up. I'll talk to Ellen and find out. We’ll see how it goes.”

(Clayton Kershaw Photo: Ashley Landis / Associated Press)