Kershaw may not be back at Cy Young level

MIAMI — Since Clayton Kershaw last pitched for the Dodgers on June 26, they are 38-24. They have gained 13 games in the standings, stormed into first place, acquired Bud Norris, Rich Hill, Josh Reddick, Jesse Chavez, Josh Fields and Carlos Ruiz, and traded away A.J. Ellis.

On Friday night, Kershaw returns from almost 2 1/2 months on the shelf with a herniated disk to start against the Marlins ace Jose Fernandez and Kershaw’s old manager, Don Mattingly. This week, Mattingly said Fernandez is “on that route” to becoming a Kershaw-type stalwart. That’s high praise.

Rick Honeycutt has been the pitching coach and voice of reason since Kershaw’s debut, through three National League Cy Young Award-winning seasons and the NL Most Valuable Player Award of 2014. That was the year Kershaw overcame a strained teres major muscle sustained Opening Day in Australia, the only other time Kershaw was on the disabled list.

Kershaw was 11-2 with a 1.57 ERA and heading for another NL Cy Young Award before his last start. Honeycutt cautions that even Kershaw can be rusty from inaction, so don’t expect too much too soon.

“To be off two months and not …

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