SAN DIEGO — Clayton Kershaw’s first begin again from the injured record final week reminded everybody how a lot of a lift the Dodgers get when the left-hander takes the mound.
When the doubtless future Corridor of Famer is on the mound, there’s normally a distinct buzz across the stadium. It’s been that method for almost twenty years.
His second begin of the 2024 season, nonetheless, served as a reminder that it would take Kershaw a while to rediscover his type after present process offseason left shoulder surgical procedure, the primary surgical process he’s had in his illustrious profession.
On Wednesday night time, Kershaw struggled to get something going and allowed seven runs (three earned) on six hits over 3 2/3 innings within the Dodgers’ 8-1 loss to the Padres at Petco Park. It was additionally the primary regular-season begin of Kershaw’s profession wherein he did not report not less than one strikeout, snapping a string of 423 consecutive begins with a Okay.
(That doesn’t embrace the postseason. Kershaw recorded just one out — not a strikeout — in NLDS Recreation 1 towards the D-backs final fall.)
“There have been quite a lot of issues I used to be lacking,” Kershaw mentioned. “I imply, truthfully, I felt fairly good with the final one total. However this one, clearly, this was actually unhealthy. I didn’t assume there was rust, however perhaps. I don’t know. Simply bought to pitch higher.”
The night time bought off to a very good begin for Kershaw. He wanted solely 9 pitches to get by way of the primary inning, working round a fielding error by second baseman Gavin Lux. Within the second, nonetheless, the Padres turned it on towards Kershaw, they usually by no means appeared again.
A one-out rally bought the Padres on the board within the second and a fielding error from Kershaw on a Bryce Johnson security squeeze prolonged the inning. Within the fourth, Kershaw allowed a solo homer to Luis Campusano and two extra runs got here round to attain within the body.
‘“I gotta make that play,” Kershaw mentioned. “That was a simple out at house proper there. The bunt was proper again to me. Must make that play, and the inning’s rather a lot completely different. That’s on me. That was tremendous simple. That was a brilliant irritating mistake there.”
What was maybe extra regarding than Kershaw’s ultimate line was the actual fact Kershaw didn’t have any swing-and-miss stuff to lean on Wednesday. Kershaw bought his first swing and miss of the night time on his twenty third pitch. His second didn’t come till pitch No. 81 towards Xander Bogaerts on an 83 mph changeup. The 2 whiffs are tied for the fewest in an outing in Kershaw’s profession.
“You give them credit score,” Kershaw mentioned. “They did a very good job. A few of that is on me, too, for positive.”
Kershaw’s four-seamer had a mean velocity of 89.6 mph, a complete tick under the place he was final season. His slider, which he bought one whiff on 34 pitches, additionally had a dip of 0.9 mph.
“I feel it’s exhausting to ever guess towards Clayton,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “The final [start], I assumed, was superb. And tonight simply wasn’t nice. I feel he’ll be the primary to say that. However it’s a part of the method. I simply don’t assume that anybody can anticipate him to return again and be lights-out each begin out, actually after two begins.”
With Kershaw being the newest to battle, the Dodgers’ beginning rotation had a forgettable July. In 24 video games this month, Dodgers starters posted a 5.09 ERA. The bullpen has additionally struggled throughout that stretch. That mixture sunk the Dodgers to an 11-13 month, their first dropping month since April 2018.
A month in the past, the Nationwide League West appeared to be on ice for the Dodgers. With simply 53 video games left within the season, odds are the Dodgers will nonetheless convey house the division for the eleventh time in 12 seasons with simply 53 video games left within the season. However after the 2 video games in San Diego, it has turn out to be a a lot nearer race than anticipated, because the lead has shrunk to 4.5 video games, the closest it has been since Might 4.
“It’s an extended yr,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith mentioned. “There’s going to be robust instances. There’s going to be good instances, which there have been this yr. So, yeah, it’s a part of it. We’ll come out of it. Little question about it. We’re the Dodgers. We’re the perfect workforce in baseball.”
