Kershaw shot five innings in his third rehab game and is one step closer to the return of the major leagues

Eight months after his last major league appearance, Clayton Kershaw is one step closer to returning to the pitcher mound.

On Wednesday night, Kershaw missed three points on five innings in a triple-A Oklahoma City rehab game to complete his third rehab of the season with 66 goals. After facing only the lowest number of batting seats in the first four innings, he hit two home runs in five innings. He hit 4 hits and sent 4 strikeouts and 1 save.

The 37-year-old is recovering from surgery on his left toe and knee in the offseason. A toe injury last August ended his season and cost him a World Series trip from the Dodgers. The previous two rehabilitation games each threw 3 games and lost 1 point.

Kershaw was scheduled to board on Tuesday, and the Dodgers tentatively planned for his fourth rehab game on Sunday's regular rest day. However, the delay of rain to Wednesday disrupted the plan. Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior told MLB.com Sonja Chen that the rain game "won't affect progress."

Both Kershaw and head coach Dave Roberts said the veteran's arm is in better shape than his left toe, which is at the key of his "drive foot." After Kershaw's first rehab game, Roberts referred to his toe as the "final link".

Kershaw will be eligible to be activated from the 60-day wounded list as early as the end of May, but will not return immediately. His return will be a boost to the injured Dodgers, with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow sidelined with shoulder inflammation and Shohei Ohtani's ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) recovery timeline still uncertain.