MIAMI -- In order for the Dodgers to make a deep run in October, they know they¡¯ll need some strong performances from the starting rotation. Whether it¡¯s fair or not, a big component of that will be just how much Clayton Kershaw is able to give them over the next two months.

Since returning from the IL, however, Kershaw hasn¡¯t looked as sharp as he did at the beginning of the season when he was posting a Cy Young-caliber campaign. Some of those struggles continued on Tuesday as Kershaw walked five batters and gave up three runs over five innings in the Dodgers¡¯ 6-3 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot park.

¡°It wasn¡¯t great mechanically -- control and all that wasn¡¯t great,¡± Kershaw said. ¡°So yeah, just need to keep going. There¡¯s really nothing else to do. Just try to pitch better.¡±

From the first inning it was obvious that Kershaw didn¡¯t have the best command of his pitches and that his velocity was dipping, both of which were issues in his prior start at Dodger Stadium against the D-backs.

Despite the left-hander retiring the side in order in the first, his hardest pitch in the frame was an 89 mph four-seam fastball, which is two mph slower than his season average. In the second, the command -- paired with the dip in velocity -- started to elude him.

Kershaw walked Jes¨²s S¨¢nchez to start the second, then gave up a hard-hit single off the bat of Jake Burger. After giving up a one-out single that loaded the bases, Kershaw, however, showed why he¡¯s a Hall of Fame-caliber pitcher, getting Garrett Hampson to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.?In the third, Kershaw walked two more, but escaped again by striking out Josh Bell and S¨¢nchez.

In the fourth, however, Kershaw¡¯s stuff took another dip and the Marlins started to make him pay. Burger led off the frame with a solo homer and was followed by a Jazz Chisholm Jr. infield single and a walk to Hamspon. While Kershaw got out of it with another double-play ball, he wasn¡¯t able to work his way out of trouble in the fifth as a one-out walk turned into two runs on a Bell homer to straightaway center field.

¡°With Clayton, you certainly see the desire to be effective,¡± said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. ¡°You certainly see the [desire to] compete. I just think the last couple, you just haven¡¯t seen the command. The stuff might be down. It¡¯s where he¡¯s at right now.¡±

Where he¡¯s at right now, according to Roberts, is not somewhere anyone wants to hear. Roberts said Kershaw¡¯s injured left shoulder is still not in a place where he can pitch like he normally does. The past few starts have shown that his command isn¡¯t to the level that he has spoiled everyone and the velocity was down across the board, including a concerning 2.7 mph on the four-seam fastball. The hardest pitch thrown from Kershaw on Tuesday was a 89.9 mph four-seamer to Chisholm.

¡°It¡¯s one of those things where, this is where we¡¯re at,¡± Roberts said. ¡°Obviously it¡¯s not ideal for him. But we¡¯re going to make the most of it.¡±

While Roberts said Kershaw¡¯s left shoulder injury could be affecting his command, the left-hander went a different direction. Kershaw repeatedly said he ¡°was fine¡± when asked about the injury and where he¡¯s at physically at this point in his career and this season.?

¡°Just a combo really, the stuff and the command. Both bad. Just need to keep working,¡± Kershaw said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to [pitching coach Mark Prior on Wednesday], try to see. I think there¡¯s a few thoughts for us that can maybe help.¡±

Figuring out how to get Kershaw back to his ace form will be the biggest priority for the Dodgers before their postseason run begins in a month. The Dodgers have some question marks in the starting rotation given Bobby Miller¡¯s youth and Lance Lynn¡¯s struggles at times this season. Then there¡¯s Julio Ur¨ªas, who isn¡¯t with the team and is undergoing an MLB investigation after a second domestic violence claim.

All of that leaves Kershaw as Los Angeles¡¯ best option in October. But right now, the Dodgers will keep starting Kershaw every fifth day with the optimism that he¡¯ll regain his form before this year¡¯s run at a World Series.

¡°He¡¯s going to keep going,¡± Roberts said. ¡°He¡¯s going to keep going until he can¡¯t.¡±