by Paul Teetor
The second-best pitcher in the pitching-rich history of the Dodgers is leaving LA.
The list of great Dodger pitchers includes immortals like the 4 D’s — Don Drysdale, Don Sutton, Don Newcombe and Dazzy Vance – as well as Orel Hershiser and Fernando Valenzuela.
Only the great Sandy Koufax – still alive and well at age 89 – was a better pitcher than Clayton Kershaw. And his longevity – six so-so years with the Brooklyn-LA Dodgers, followed by six years of absolute best-in-the-game brilliance when he finally learned how to harness his fastball and throw a curveball — doesn’t compare to Kershaw’s sustained excellence over 18 years.
The stage is now set for a fairy-tale ending to Kershaw’s Dodgers career. It’s going to be an October (and hopefully November) to remember for Dodger Nation if the post-season goes as planned. Their spiritual leader is making his last stand and everyone wants to send him off with a World Series title.
On Thursday Kershaw announced he is hanging up his cleats at the end of this season, setting off an outpouring of love and affection from Dodger fans and non-fans alike that hasn’t stopped yet. All they have to do now is to repeat as World Series champs and then wish him happy trails as he rides off to his real home in Dallas, Texas while waving goodbye to his baseball home.
They achieved the first part of that tricky, wish-fulfillment formula Friday night as they clinched their 13th consecutive playoff spot and put themselves in prime position to win the National League West for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons. The 6-3 win over the San Francisco Giants put the Dodgers three games up on the San Diego Padres with eight games left.
It would take a monumental collapse – and an epic rally by the Padres – to deny them the NL West crown now.
Neither one is happening.
Take it to the bank.
They did it with home runs by Shohei Ohtani and a resurgent Mookie Betts, and Kershaw on the mound for the first four-plus innings.
Going into Friday night’s start against the Giants, which would be his last regular-season start in The Ravine, he had 222 career victories, a 2.54 career ERA (47th all-time and third best among pitchers who broke in over the last 100 years), 3,039 career strikeouts, five ERA titles, and three Cy Young Awards (and an MVP in one of those seasons, 2014). Also, one season in which he won pitching’s version of the Triple Crown (2011, leading the league with 21 wins, a 1.77 ERA and 248 strikeouts) and a Gold Glove.
Plus 11 All-Star appearances, including the start on his home mound at the 2022 Midsummer Classic. And the Roberto Clemente Humanitarian Award for all the things he does for his community.
And two World Series rings, with a legit shot at a third one.
After his announcement Thursday, Kershaw had one request of his teammates: don’t make the Friday night game with the Giants weird.
In other words, don’t make it too emotional for the low-key, laid-back Kershaw.
And they didn’t – although Kershaw might have thought otherwise when they hung back in the dugout at the start of the game, leaving him all alone on the mound to soak in the standing ovation.
It wasn’t weird, but it certainly was memorable.
Displaying the vulnerability of his final seasons but also the competitive will that will carry him to Cooperstown the first time he is eligible five years from now, Kershaw took the mound at Dodger Stadium for the last time – for now, perhaps forever – and gave up a leadoff home run.
But he shook it off, kept on battling as he has for 18 years, struck out six and survived into the fifth inning. He was removed during the fifth only so that Manager Dave Roberts could give him the proper exit, taking the ball from him and sending him out to a standing ovation followed by a curtain call.
That’s when his teammates returned the favor. Ohtani – on track to win his fourth MVP award — hit a three-run homer, followed immediately by a Mookie Betts solo shot in the bottom of the fifth inning to power the Dodgers to a come-from-behind victory.
Kershaw said he will never forget the first inning when his teammates gave him the Chavez Ravine stage all to himself.
“It was a great gesture. I didn’t love it. But it was a great gesture,” Kershaw said of his solitary moment on the field. “The guys have gone above and beyond the last few days for me. I never wanna take away from – be a distraction to the game or anything like that because obviously winning is the most important thing for us, especially right now. But that was special.”
Kershaw was a little more introspective than normal.
“The whole night was just special. Obviously, it was a little harder than I wanted it to be. I was grinding out there, working way too hard to get people out,” Kershaw said. “But thankful that I made it through and kept us in the game a little bit and the bullpen stepped up. Shohei’s homer, just incredible. Mookie’s homer right after, just amazing. I would’ve liked to go seven innings. But other than that, it was perfect.”
Kershaw didn’t get the win, but the Dodgers did and clinched a playoff spot for the 13th consecutive season (and 15th in Kershaw’s 18-year career). They celebrated the playoff berth and Kershaw’s moment with a champagne toast, saving the spray for the division title that is sure to come soon. Coupled with a San Diego Padres loss earlier in the day, the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the National League West division title outright is four. They also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Padres.
Despite clinching a playoff spot, the night was all about honoring the second-best pitcher in Dodgers history. Former teammates Austin Barnes, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, Trayce Thompson, Jimmy Rollins, A.J. Pollock – and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (his high school teammate) – were all on hand for the game, wearing No. 22 Dodgers jerseys.
Next stop: the league divisional series.
Opponent: to be determined.
Mira Costa Suffers First Loss; Redondo gets First Win
Mira Costa’s three-game winning streak and Redondo’s three-game losing streak both came to an end Friday night in non-league football contests.
Redondo beat Orange 14-12, while Mira Costa fell to San Juan Hills 38-28.
Playing in front of a home crowd hungry for a win after three straight defeats to open the season, Redondo was led by quarterback Cole Leinart, who connected on 8 of 12 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Christian Zeno was his primary target, snaring nine passes for 71 yards.
Zeno scored both touchdowns for Redondo. First, he scored a rushing touchdown in the second quarter and later followed that up with a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
The game came down to a pass breakup by Kyle Westbrook on a game-tying two-point conversion attempt.
Cooper Burns and Brock Herrera had 10 tackles apiece. Herrera also had 1 1/2 sacks. Westbrook also had an interception.
Costa hosted a non-league game against San Juan Hills. Although they had chances to take a lead, Costa suffered its first loss of the season.
Mira Costa will get another shot against a Bravo League team next week when Villa Park visits.
Contact: teetor.paul@gmail.com
