Two things Clayton Kershaw clearly hates list and having pitch restrictions.

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 http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/marquise-blair-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 http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/cody-barton-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 http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/phil-haynes-jersey , 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.

ATLANTA (AP) — After Matt Ryan agreed to restructure his contract to clear salary cap room, the Atlanta Falcons quickly invested the new funds in protecting the quarterback.The Falcons on Wednesday signed free-agent offensive guards James Carpenter and Jamon Brown. Carpenter’s four-year deal is worth $21 million. Brown’s three-year deal is worth $18.75 million.Ryan agreed to tweak his contract on Tuesday with $8.75 million of his 2019 base salary to be paid as a signing bonus. The Falcons cleared $7 million in cap space with the move.The Falcons added additional cap space of about $6.45 million with their release of right tackle Ryan Schraeder on Wednesday. Schraeder’s agent Joel Turner http://www.tampabaybuccaneersteamonline.com/mike-edwards-jersey , confirmed the release to The Associated Press.Schraeder lost his starting job to Ty Sambrailo late last season. Sambrailo was signed to a three-year extension last month.The Falcons also released kicker Matt Bryant, cornerback Robert Alford and defensive end Brooks Reed this offseason.Offensive guard was the Falcons’ top priority. The newcomers will add bulk to the middle of the line. Carpenter (6-5, 321) and Brown (6-4, 340) will compete for starting jobs at left guard and right guard, respectively.Brandon Fusco, Wes Schweitzer and Sean Harlow return at guard. The Falcons lost Andy Levitre, Ben Garland and Zane Beadles to free agency.Brown, whose 26th birthday is Friday, was released by the Rams last season before signing with the Giants http://www.tampabaybuccaneersteamonline.com/matt-gay-jersey , where he was an immediate starter . Carpenter, whose 30th birthday is March 22, was limited by a shoulder injury to 10 games with the Jets in 2018.It would not be a surprise if more help for the line comes in the NFL draft, though the free-agent signings give Atlanta more flexibility to address another need with their first-round pick, No. 14 overall. Other needs include defensive line, cornerback and running back.Wednesday’s signings could be the first proof of new offensive thinking following changes on coach Dan Quinn’s staff.Following last season’s 7-9 finish, Quinn fired each of his three coordinators. He hired Dirk Koetter as new offensive coordinator and Mike Mularkey to coach tight ends. Quinn will run the defense.Koetter said last month the staff was “going through that playbook line by line and play by play” and “ironing out what’s going to be the Falcons’ offense moving forward.”The first emphasis was the offensive line, where center Alex Mack and left tackle Jake Matthews may be the only 2019 starters who started to open last season.“You can have the greatest skill players in the world, but your O-line and your D-line set the tempo for the team http://www.tennesseetitansteamonline.com/a.j.-brown-jersey ,” Koetter said.Atlanta ranked 27th in the league in rushing last season. Improvements in pass-blocking also are needed.Ryan wasn’t sacked as many as 30 times in any of his first five seasons. He’s been sacked 30 or more times in five of the last six years, including 42 times in 2018.Despite the lack of protection, Ryan has been very durable. He has started every game in nine straight seasons since missing two games in 2009.