As their series against the Braves comes to a close, the Dodgers are in danger of being swept for the first time since June. Where has Clayton Kershaw been in this series is one question that has been on fans’ minds. On Sunday, he was scheduled to start on regular rest, but the team decided against having him handle the ball in the decisive game.

When it comes to Kershaw, Dave Roberts and the front office are considering the greater picture. The elite left-hander just returned from a period on the injured list due to discomfort in his shoulder. The team is also taking into account that he has 16 years of major league experience on his left arm, which is in the Hall of Fame.

The postseason is the ultimate target for the Dodgers and Kershaw, and he will continue to put in significant innings far into October. Given that the Dodgers have a sizable lead in the NL West standings, Roberts has chosen to give his pitcher extra days off between starts.

As the dog days of summer continue, that has been the situation for the majority of the pitching staff over the past few weeks.

In the opening game of Tuesday’s series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins, Kershaw is expected to start.