Clayton Kershaw’s postseason start against the Diamondbacks was a disaster, lasting less than an inning with a 6-0 deficit. His tender shoulder issues finally caught up to him, marking one of the worst starts in postseason history.
On Saturday, Clayton Kershaw took the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a crucial Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Unfortunately for Kershaw and the Dodgers, his performance was far from what they had hoped for.
Kershaw’s outing was brief, lasting just eight batters and less than one inning. By the time he left the game, the Dodgers were already facing a daunting 6-0 deficit, and there was still a buzz of anticipation in the Dodger Stadium as fans were settling into their seats.
The Dodgers were well aware that Kershaw had been dealing with a tender shoulder in the latter part of the regular season, but they had expected him to be effective despite the injury. However, the reality was quite different.
The game got off to a rocky start with D-backs’ second baseman Ketel Marte hitting a double on only the second pitch, a play that should have been ruled an error. This was followed by consecutive singles from Corbin Carroll and Tommy Pham, a double from Christian Walker, and a 419-foot three-run homer from Gabriel Moreno, leaving the crowd in stunned silence.
Just three batters later, after another walk and a double, Kershaw’s night was cut short, and he was replaced by rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan.
This start was a significant milestone for Kershaw, marking his 454th career start but also the first time he had allowed five consecutive hits to start a game and the first time he failed to complete even a single inning. Only three other starting pitchers in postseason history had allowed six or more runs while recording one out or less: Dakota Hudson, Mike Foltynewicz, and Gil Heredia.
Despite Kershaw’s valiant efforts to pitch through his shoulder issues during the final two months of the regular season, where he often relied on a slower fastball and benefited from extra rest between starts, his struggles caught up to him at the most critical juncture of the season. Although he managed to maintain a respectable 2.23 ERA in his last eight regular-season starts, his postseason performance was far from what the Dodgers had hoped for.