Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Shares Positive Update on Clayton Kershaw Ahead of NLDS Game 1
Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for his 32nd postseason start today for your Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite a rocky end to the 2023 regular season dealing with a left shoulder injury, Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts shared some positive news on the Dodgers' future Hall of Famer.
"This is, right now, is as good as he's been for the last couple of months," Roberts said on Friday. "So I'm excited for him. ... The last five, six years there's always been some injuries that he's had to deal with, but never took away from his desire to get back and help us, which he's done."
Since returning from the IL, Kershaw only pitched in 36.1 innings across 8 games. Despite an approximate 2 mph decrease in velocity across all his pitches, the team's future Hall of Famer impressively only allowed 9 earned runs and struck out 32 batters in those 8 starts. His ability to prevent runs leaves the team in high spirits, as evidenced by a comment from his superstar teammate Freddie Freeman.
"When No. 22 is on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers you feel good about it. Clayton Kershaw, even though he might not think he's fully ready or however he feels, I think everybody else in this stadium, the clubhouse, is pretty excited for him to start. Might not be throwing 95, like I used to face him 15 years ago, but he knows how to pitch and he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer for a reason.
Kershaw, as he has done many times in the past, headlines the club's rotation going into the 2023 postseason. He faces Merrill Kelly tonight of the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the NLDS.
