When Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw landed on the disabled list around the All-Star break, opposing teams breathed a collective sigh of relief. It’s not that they wished anything bad on the 28-year-old Dallas, Texas native; no MLB player ever wishes that on another player. It’s just that they knew that they would not have to face the best pitcher on the planet any time soon.

…or so they thought.

Well guess what? The best pitcher on the planet is back and just in time for the stretch run and, more importantly, the postseason.

In his two abbreviated starts since returning from a minor disk herniation in his lower back, Kershaw has allowed a grand total of two runs on six hits while walking none and striking out 10 in only 8.0 innings pitched. And though he allowed a home run in his first outing in 75 days against the Miami Marlins, he left Wednesday’s twice rain-delayed game against the New York Yankees having allowed no runs and only a single to Yankees third baseman Chase Headley in his fifth and final inning of work. He also walked none and struck out five.

“Individually for Clayton, I don’t think it could have worked out any better,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game. “The fastball was good. The velocity was really plus. And he got the strikeout when he needed to. To see Clayton go out there and do what he does it was a huge lift for us.”

In only his second start since returning from the disabled list, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw looked every bit his old self at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But is Roberts ready to declare his ace back to 100 percent yet?

“No, I think we’re still … I don’t want to say in the woods, but I still think that it’s not full go with Clayton,” Roberts said.

As expected, Kershaw sees things a bit differently than his manager.

“I was obviously thankful to be back the first time, but I wasn’t thinking about that,” Kershaw said. “Once you start pitching, you’re pitching. You’re trying to get guys out and if you’re not doing that effectively you need to look at it. So I did that.

“Just a little better overall today,” He added. “Maybe back on a normal routine, a normal four days almost – or whatever my normal is now. Maybe that helped a little bit, I don’t know.”

As for comparing his first two starts since returning from the disabled list, Kershaw summed it up succinctly.

“A little bit better than last time”

As it works out (and not at all by coincidence), Kershaw lines up to face Giants ace Madison Bumgarner when the two teams kickoff a three-game series at Dodger Stadium beginning on Monday evening, September 19. And though Roberts will probably try to keep his prized left-hander at the seven-inning / 90 pitch range, you can bet that Kershaw has every expectation of going nine regardless of his pitch count.

But one thing is for certain, Kershaw is getting better each time out.

“I talked about it being sort of a rehab start in Miami,” Roberts said. “But as the usage, the intensity, the length of his starts ramps up I think we will see a better Clayton each time.

Good news for the Dodgers and their fans … not so much for their opponents.