When a regionally televised Dodgers game with Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully at the mic breaks away from the action to report in on a minor league game, you know something big is going on. That major league games was the Dodgers versus the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium and that something big was Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw making his first live game appearance since June 26, when he was shut down for a mild disk herniation.

On Saturday night the 28-year-old Dallas, Texas native made what will – in all likelihood – be his only rehabilitation start, doing so with the Dodgers Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at a sold out LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga. Not only was the three-time Cy Young award winner and 2014 National League MVP good, he was nearly perfect, striking out five of the nine batters he faced, while allowing only a nubber base hit in front of home plate by Modesto Nuts catcher Robbie Perkins that Quakes catcher Will Smith was unable to make the play on. Perkins was promptly erased on an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

“I think I’m pitching in four days, or five days,” Kershaw told the large media gathering after his three innings of work. “I think they’re still ironing some stuff out, but at this point it’s still kind of a pitch count deal, making sure that I can contribute and not just go out there. It helps that it’s September and we’ve got a lot of guys out there in the bullpen. We’re still working the kinks out, but we’ll see.”

Kershaw allowed no runs and only one hit in his three rehab innings on Saturday evening at LoanMart Field. He also struck out five of the nine batters he faced. (Photo credit – Jill Weisleder)

Kershaw was scheduled to go three inning and/or make 45-50 pitches on Saturday night. But after throwing only 34 pitches (of which 23 were strikes) in those three innings, the veteran left-hander had to finish out his pre-set pitch count in the Quakes bullpen.

“The fastball and slider were pretty decent,” Kershaw said of his outing. “The curveball needed a little work. It wasn’t there at times. I threw a couple of good ones, but a few got away from me. I guess for as much time as I’ve missed, I’ll take it.

“But once you get into pitching real games in the major leagues, there’s not going to be so much forgiveness,” Kershaw added. “I definitely need to be more consistent.”

Anyone who knows even a little bit about Kershaw knows that, in addition to being the best pitcher on the planet, he is also the most competitive and he absolutely loved being out there in a real game again.

“I felt good. I was able to warm up and sit in between innings and everything, stuff that’s bothered me in the past,” Kershaw said. “It’s fun to pitch in a game setting again and have some normal game-type situations.

“The last few times when I’ve pitched, once I cool down and kind of sit for a little bit, it’ll stiffen up,” he added. “As long as I’m okay doing that tonight, it’ll be a good test.”

Although pitching again in four days is a bit of a reach – even for Clayton Kershaw – it is conceivable, likely even, that he could return to the Dodgers starting rotation as early as this coming Friday when the Dodgers open a 10-game road trip that takes them to Miami for a three-game series against the Marlins, New York for a three-game set against the Yankees and ends with four games against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

But regardless of when he returns, the mere thought of having Kershaw back in the Dodgers rotation very soon is absolutely the best news that the Dodgers and their fans could possibly receive.

For their opponents, especially the hated Giants, … not so much.