The chances that three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw will bolster the Dodgers’ injury-plagued rotation for at least the first round of the playoffs appear to be dwindling by the day.

Kershaw, who hasn’t pitched since leaving the start Aug. 30 in Arizona after one inning because of soreness in his left big toe, has been able to complete several bullpen workouts over the past two weeks – one in which he threw about 80 pitches pitched – but the veteran left-hander hasn’t progressed to the point where he’s ready to face hitters.

“We’re in a holding pattern with Clayton,” manager Dave Roberts said before Tuesday night’s opener against the San Diego Padres. “I don’t think there has been any improvement. I don’t think he’ll face hitters this week…and that in itself is pretty telling. Hopefully we’ll get a little more clarity on how he’s doing in the next few days.”

Kershaw declined comment as he left the field after batting practice. Roberts said Kershaw will do “everything he can to be available” to boost a rotation that lost star Tyler Glasnow (elbow sprain) and rookie Gavin Stone (shoulder strain) for the rest of the season, but Kershaw’s toe shines This doesn’t have to be the only concern.

“It’s the toe…it’s just the body,” Roberts said. “As far as I know, he plays catch. He was out there playing catch today. But there is something that stops him from facing batsmen. So for me and the training staff, I was told that we’re kind of at the status quo and we’re not moving forward.”

Read more: Clayton Kershaw is “trying everything” and even working with Skechers to help with toe injury

Kershaw, 36, missed the first four months of the season while recovering from surgery last November to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule in his throwing shoulder. He was activated in late July and went 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in seven starts, recording 24 strikeouts and nine walks in 30 innings.

With 2,968 strikeouts in his 17-year career, Kershaw, whose one-year, $10 million contract includes a $5 million player option for next year, needs just 32 strikeouts to reach 3,000.

Secret weapon?

The Dodgers called up right-handed pitching prospect Edgardo Henriquez for Tuesday’s game, completing a rapid rise for the 22-year-old reliever with his strong throwing. Henriquez started this season at Class A Rancho Cucamonga but advanced to Triple-A Oklahoma City at all levels with a 2.72 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 53 innings.

Could he ever have expected to be promoted to the big leagues before the end of the season?

“Not really,” he said in Spanish with a smile. “But with the work I was doing and all the preparation, I always had this possibility in my mind.”

He made his MLB debut on Tuesday, giving up one hit in a scoreless seventh inning and striking out two, including Fernando Tatis Jr. with a 101 mph fastball.

Henriquez, whose fastball reached speeds of up to 104 miles per hour, was called up in place of fellow rookie Ben Casparius. Stone was placed on the 60-day injured list to open a 40-player spot.

“He’s definitely a weapon,” Roberts said of Henriquez.

Whether Henriquez can be a surprise October addition — like 20-year-old reliever Francisco Rodriguez was for the Angels during their 2002 World Series run — is less clear.

Although the Venezuelan, signed in 2018, didn’t make his MLB debut until the final week of the season, he would still be eligible for a spot on the playoff roster.

The chances of the Dodgers having a rookie with minimal big league experience on their postseason roster seem unlikely, but given the shorthanded nature of the pitching staff, Roberts didn’t rule it out either.

“There are a lot of guys that are eligible and we’ll see if we can get him in a game and see what it looks like,” Roberts said. “But certainly, weapon talent, there’s no arguing about that.”

Ohtani pitching plan

The Dodgers had not yet met with Shohei Ohtani as of Tuesday to discuss the final stages of his recovery from elbow surgery, but Roberts said there was a chance the two-way star would return in time to make the playoffs small amount.

“I just don’t think it’s going to happen; it’s very unlikely,” Roberts said. “But the meeting will be held for Shohei to come up with an action plan in the next week or two.”

Read more: Shohei Ohtani only had 16 stolen bases in June. Then he made it a “really special season”

Ohtani has thrown regularly from a bullpen mound over the last month. Is it important for him to face hitters before the end of the season or would it be better to take him out at the start of the winter?

“You could argue both,” Roberts said. “You could make an argument for taking him out for a break, and there’s also an argument for continuing to build up, face hitters and build up a little more in the offseason. “But that’s more for the training staff and the doctors.”

Rojas wins Campanella Prize

Veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas was named the winner of the 19th annual Roy Campanella Award, given to the Dodger who best embodies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.

The award, voted on by the Dodgers’ uniformed personnel, will be presented to Rojas by Joni Campanella Roan, Roy’s daughter, and Cari Bell, Roy’s grandson, during pregame ceremonies Wednesday night. The previous three Campanella Awards went to Jason Heyward (2023), Freddie Freeman (2022) and Chris Taylor (2021).

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.