LOS ANGELES — Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts put it finest: The whole lot simply makes extra sense for Los Angeles when Clayton Kershaw is on the mound each fifth day.
After being sidelined for greater than a month with a left shoulder harm, Kershaw was again atop the Dodger Stadium mound on Thursday night time, and seemed each bit just like the pitcher who was main the Nationwide League in nearly each stat earlier than his harm.
Kershaw allowed one run and struck out 4 over 5 strong innings in Dodgers’ 2-1 win over the Rockies within the sequence opener.
“It was nice to be again,” Kershaw stated. “You wish to be part of what’s occurring right here. You wish to assist your workforce win. It was an awesome feeling, good to be again on the market, good to be at Dodger Stadium once more. I don’t take as a right these alternatives.”
Kershaw threw 67 pitches (45 for strikes), however stated a very powerful half was that he bought by way of 5 innings. He went simply 4 innings throughout his final simulated recreation final week. For the Dodgers, that was sufficient for Kershaw — who hadn’t pitched since June 27 — in his return, because the essential factor for the membership is to maintain the left-hander wholesome by way of October.
In truth, Roberts acknowledged that he was “holding my breath” all through Kershaw’s outing given the character of the harm the ace is getting back from. The Dodgers additionally wish to see how Kershaw feels on Friday.
“I simply suppose we’d like to verify he takes the ball each fifth or sixth day,” Roberts stated. “I do know Clayton desires to be part of this actually unhealthy. He is aware of how particular this group is and he desires to contribute. … I feel for him, my thought is simply be your self, you don’t must do it by yourself. In the present day he form of did for 5 innings. However we scored late. It was a very good day throughout.”
Exterior of a solo homer within the fifth to Elehuris Montero, the possible first-ballot Corridor of Famer was sharp in his return. His finest body got here within the second inning, when Kershaw labored round a one-out double from Alan Trejo to strike out the opposite three batters he confronted.
Kershaw used his typical four-seamer, curveball and slider combine to maintain the Rockies’ hitters off-balance for many of the night time. Colorado had simply 4 hard-hit balls towards him.
The 35-year-old southpaw additionally broke out his changeup, throwing the pitch thrice, together with for a strikeout towards Montero within the second. Earlier than Thursday, Kershaw had thrown the changeup simply eight instances this season, and solely 19 instances for the reason that starting of the 2022 season.
The final time Kershaw used the changeup to strike out an opposing hitter was on Might 31, 2018, towards Phillies infielder César Hernández.
“I threw it 4 instances, and it’s like I threw it one million instances,” Kershaw joked. “I threw 4 of them, three of them had been truly OK. So I don’t know, perhaps I’ll attempt to use it perhaps 4, 5 instances a recreation, one thing like that.”
Offensively, the Dodgers didn’t get a lot going towards Rockies left-hander Ty Blach by way of six innings. Within the seventh, nevertheless, Max Muncy was in a position to come by way of with a game-tying solo homer off Blach. It was solely the tenth homer allowed to a left-handed hitter in Blach’s six-year MLB profession.
Within the eighth, the Dodgers put extra strain on the Rockies’ bullpen and had been in a position to break by way of and take the lead when Muncy drew a bases-loaded stroll towards right-hander Daniel Bard.
For the Dodgers, the significance of getting Kershaw again wholesome and within the rotation can’t be overstated. Having the left-hander begin each fifth recreation offers the Dodgers a stage of stability they lacked since he went on the injured listing. It’s no coincidence the beginning rotation posted a 6.18 ERA in July with Kershaw sidelined.
Over the subsequent two months, the Dodgers will proceed to watch Kershaw’s well being and lean on him when they should. Even in any case these years, Kershaw remains to be the pitcher that units the tone. He’ll be tasked with main them down the stretch, particularly come postseason time.
“Any time 22 is on the mound, you have got a very good feeling about how the sport is gonna prove, and I feel it’s a lift for everybody on this clubhouse,” Muncy stated. “It’s simply enjoyable to be on the identical discipline as that man.”