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30	August 2018

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LOS ANGELES � Two things Clayton Kershaw clearly hates: Being on the disabled list and having pitch restrictions while on the mound.

The Los Angeles Dodgers� left-hander might be done with both when he takes the mound Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kershaw will be making his third start since coming off the disabled list for his most recent back injury and has been trending in a positive direction.

What Kershaw would like to see is more of the offense the Dodgers showed in Monday�s series opener 49ers Fred Warner Jersey , when the club scored 17 runs on 21 hits in an easy victory.

Tasked with slowing that offense at Dodger Stadium, while matching Kershaw pitch for pitch, will be Pirates right-hander Ian Nova.

If Kershaw is almost all the way back on top after an injury, Nova is there already. In four starts since coming off the DL because of a sprained right finger, Nova is 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA.

Kershaw is only this far along in his return from the DL because the Dodgers pulled a last-minute switch on June 23, and had him pitch in New York against the Mets instead of with Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab outing.

Kershaw threw 55 pitches against the Mets, giving up two runs on five hits over three innings. On June 28 against the Chicago Cubs, Kershaw was back at it, throwing 68 pitches while giving up one run on four hits over five innings.

A natural progression would have Kershaw at about 80 pitches on Tuesday Cheap Carlton Davis Jersey , but Kershaw has a way of getting more out of himself when the situation requires it.

�I�ve proven that I�m healthy,� Kershaw told reporters after his most recent start. �So now, next time out I�m sure the restriction should hopefully be pretty close to off. (I will) get ready and just try to beat an opponent.�

Nova has thrown between 86 and 94 pitches in his four starts since coming off the DL and has given up one or no runs in three of those outings. The one where he did not was on Wednesday at New York. But he did hold the Mets to three runs over six innings, keeping the Pirates close enough to put together a ninth-inning rally for a victory.

That victory was part of a Pirates run where they won four of six games and took series at New York and San Diego. Sure there was a five-game losing streak before that, but going back even further, the Pirates had won four of five.

So even though they were roughed up by the Dodgers on Monday, the Pirates have learned the value of resiliency.

�We�re well aware of what we need to improve upon,� manager Clint Hurdle said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. �We�re well aware of our monthly progress and then some of our monthly challenges. Love the fact that the game brings attention to specific areas Donte Jackson Jersey Panthers , daily, weekly, monthly, and then I love to watch how some guys are able to fight and battle and work through it.�

Up next is a challenge against Kershaw, who is 2-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 career starts against Pittsburgh. The Pirates are one of two National League teams Kershaw has a losing record against in the regular season, along with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Nova knows his way around the Dodgers, going 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two starts, one in each of the previous two seasons.

The Jacksonville Jaguars unceremoniously dumped the longest-tenured player on their roster Tuesday, and he wasn't happy about it.

The Jaguars released veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis after 12 seasons to save $3.5 million in salary-cap space. The move came the same day Jacksonville parted ways with receiver Allen Hurns to save $7 million.

Both players are now free agents and can sign with any team that wants them.

Hurns' future had been in doubt since Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole emerged as big-play receivers late last season. Hurns really became expendable when the Jaguars signed two receivers last week Sylvester Williams Jersey Lions , bringing back Marqise Lee and adding Donte Moncrief in free agency.

Lewis thought his spot was safe, even after Jacksonville signed Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Niles Paul last week. The Jaguars picked up an option in Lewis' contract last month.

Lewis told The Associated Press he felt "disrespected" by the timing of the move. It came a week after free agency began.

"I wish they would have done it sooner," he said. "I think I deserved a little better than this."

The 33-year-old Lewis, a first-round draft pick in 2006, played in 170 games with Jacksonville. His 375 receptions and 4,502 yards receiving both rank third in team history. His 33 receiving touchdowns are second-most in franchise history, trailing only Jimmy Smith (67).

He said he hopes to continue playing and would prefer to stay closer to his home and daughter in Los Angeles. Lewis has ties to former Jaguars coach and current Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, and his college position coach, Jon Embree Joe Mixon Jersey , is tight ends coach for the San Francisco 49ers. Also, former Jaguars offensive coordinator Greg Olson now holds the same position with the Oakland Raiders.

"I've still got a few more years left in me," Lewis said. "Any team that gets me will get a guy who does everything the right way on and off the field and with 100 percent effort. That's all I did in Jacksonville. I always did what they asked me to do, which is why the way they let me go is annoying in that sense."

Hurns would have been behind Lee and Moncrief on the depth chart, and Jacksonville felt his salary was too high for a backup who has missed 11 games the last two seasons.

Hurns has 189 receptions for 2,669 yards and 21 touchdowns in four years since signing with the Jaguars as an undrafted rookie from Miami. But he caught just 74 passes for 961 yards and five scores the last two years while dealing with a sports hernia in 2016 and a high ankle sprain in 2017.

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