MILWAUKEE — Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is returning to Los Angeles for tests on a sore back that’s been bothering him for a few weeks.

Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that he was still hopeful Kershaw could make his next scheduled start Friday night at Dodger Stadium against Colorado.

The three-time NL Cy Young winner is 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA this season. He lost his last start on Sunday in Pittsburgh, giving up four runs and nine hits in six innings.

Roberts said Kershaw has been dealing on and off with a problem in his lower back.

“He’s not any better, so what we’re going to do, we decided to fly him back,” Roberts said. “Try to get him on a flight tonight or tomorrow first thing in the morning. He’s not pitching here in Milwaukee, so as we looked at his Friday start, to give him a couple days back home makes sense.”