In a highly anticipated Saturday start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Clayton Kershaw’s performance turned into a nightmarish outing that the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans would rather forget. Just eight batters and less than one inning into the game, Kershaw found himself facing a daunting 6-0 deficit, and it was clear that he was far from his usual dominant self.
Knowing that Kershaw had been dealing with a tender shoulder in the final stretch of the regular season, the Dodgers had expected some limitations from their ace. However, they still hoped for an effective performance from him in the postseason. Sadly, Kershaw’s outing turned out to be one of the worst starts in playoff history.
The disastrous inning began with a double off the bat of Ketel Marte that should have been ruled an error. This was followed by consecutive singles from Corbin Carroll and Tommy Pham. Christian Walker then added insult to injury with a double, and Gabriel Moreno sealed Kershaw’s fate with a powerful three-run homer. The crowd at Dodger Stadium, many of whom were still settling into their seats, was left in stunned silence.
After issuing a walk and surrendering another double, Kershaw’s night came to an abrupt end with only one out recorded. Relying on rookie right-hander Emmet Sheehan, the Dodgers desperately tried to salvage the game. However, the damage had already been done, and Kershaw’s performance would go down in history as one of the most disappointing starts in postseason play.
This woeful start was accompanied by some unwanted statistics. It was Kershaw’s 454th career start, and it marked the first time he had allowed five consecutive hits to open a game. Furthermore, it was the first time he failed to complete a single inning in his illustrious postseason career. Joining a small group of pitchers who have allowed six-plus runs while recording one out or fewer in playoff history, Kershaw faced a fate shared by only Dakota Hudson, Mike Foltynewicz, and Gil Heredia.
In the last two months of the regular season, Kershaw pitched valiantly despite nursing a tender throwing shoulder. The injury caused a significant decrease in fastball velocity, but Kershaw managed to be relatively effective by pitching in shorter increments and benefiting from extra rest between starts. He even maintained an impressive 2.23 ERA in his last eight regular-season appearances. However, when it truly mattered in the NLDS, Kershaw’s injuries caught up with him, resulting in a subpar performance that left the Dodgers and their fans disheartened.
Clayton Kershaw’s NLDS start against the Arizona Diamondbacks was a game to forget for him and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lacking his usual dominance, plagued by his tender shoulder, and succumbing to a cascade of hits, Kershaw’s disappointing performance will be remembered as one of the worst in postseason history. Despite his admirable efforts to pitch through his injury during the regular season, it ultimately proved too much to overcome when it mattered most.
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