Kershaw Struggles in Playoff Appearance
Clayton Kershaw leaned over, hands on his knees, visibly frustrated after a performance that felt like a disaster. Wednesday night’s Game 3 of the National League Championship was particularly rough for him, culminating in a two-run deficit that quickly morphed into a five-run lead for the Phillies.
Kershaw, one of the future Hall of Famers, allowed five runs (four earned) over just two innings, alongside two walks, contributing to an 8-2 loss. It was hard for his teammates to watch, as Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts noted, especially with the series now in Philadelphia’s favor at 2-1.
“It wasn’t just two innings that define him,” Betts stressed. “Kershaw is going to have a statue outside Dodger Stadium. We all know he’s one of the greatest ever. If you think two rough innings mess that up, well, you might not really understand baseball.”
Kershaw revealed last month that he would retire at the end of this season, making every outing he has on the mound increasingly significant. There’s a looming possibility that this could be the last opportunity for fans to see him pitch in the postseason.
In a change from the Dodgers’ starting rotation, Kershaw entered the game as a reliever, coming into play during the seventh inning with a 3-1 lead for his team. This was his first postseason relief appearance since the 2019 National League Division Series.
The 37-year-old managed to escape a tough seventh inning, but things fell apart in the eighth. JT Realmuto started off with a home run, and an error by Max Muncy added to the trouble, allowing the Phillies to gain a two-man advantage.
They quickly capitalized, with Trea Turner hitting a two-run homer followed by Kyle Schwarber’s second home run of the night, extending the gap to 8-1.
Despite Kershaw’s struggles, he still managed a double and a single, as the Dodgers fought to keep another run from scoring.
“Those were tough two innings,” Kershaw reflected after throwing 48 pitches. “I struggled with my command. It felt like a battle just trying to throw strikes instead of getting outs. Not a fun inning at all.”
The Dodgers are still in an advantageous spot in the series, and should they move forward, they’ll face either the Cubs or Brewers, with Milwaukee currently leading their series 2-1 heading into Game 4.
Manager Dave Roberts commented on Kershaw’s performance, saying, “He didn’t have a great slider tonight. When it’s off, it doesn’t look right. His command was just lacking, and it showed.”
