Clayton Kershaw is dealing with a back injury, but his wife says he's doing "everything he can" to return to the diamond this season.

The southpaw has been sidelined with a herniated disc in his back, which caused the Dodgers to put their ace on the disabled list. Los Angeles is right in the midst of a playoff push and has managed to rally around its injured ace and make a run for first place in the division.

Kershaw's wife, Ellen, said he's doing fine on the sidelines and working his way back to the field this season.

"He's doing okay," Ellen told TMZ Sports at an event where Dodgers' players' wives and girlfriends prepared food for homeless people. "He's giving it everything he has to make it back this season without going through any surgery."

Though he's doing fine, Ellen also added that it's "killing him to be on the sidelines."

The Dodgers (57-45) have won three of their last four games, while the NL West-leading Giants (59-42) have been on a second-half skid, dropping six of their last eight games. Los Angeles enters Thursday just 2.5 games behind San Francisco for first place in the NL West as they eye their fourth straight division crown.

The Dodgers also own a 1.5-game lead over the Marlins for the top spot in the NL Wild Card race.

Kershaw, 28, appeared well on his way to another Cy Young Award as he was 11-2 at the time of his injury with a league-leading 1.79 ERA -- a mark that still ranks No. 1 in the MLB.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP also remains first in the majors in WHIP (0.73) and shutouts (3) and second in average allowed (.185) and complete games (3) this season.

Kershaw is 125-58 in his career with the Dodgers through 260 games (258 starts) with a 2.39 ERA, 1.012 WHIP and 1,891 strikeouts in nine seasons.

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