The reaction on Sunday to the onset of the Clayton Car Show seemed to sum up the feelings shared by Dodgers players and fans alike recently.
Clayton Kershaw, visibly frustrated, bowed his head and hurried into the dugout, slamming his gloves onto the bench and pulling off his hat in discontent.
The Dodgers fell short, losing 6-5 to the Brewers, marking their 10th defeat in 12 games. It’s likely Kershaw was frustrated by a series of errors that cost the team during the third and fourth innings against Milwaukee.
Despite his frustration, the 11-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner kept his post-game comments to a minimum. After a quick chat with a reporter, he cut the interview short, saying, “I don’t have much to say. I’m just going to trouble myself, so let’s call it.”
At 37, Kershaw had previously completed three scoreless innings, but the Brewers soon capitalized on an error from third baseman Tommy Edman, allowing Andrew Vaughan to score. It didn’t stop there; a dropped fly ball by center fielder Andy Page led to another run, and yet another poor throw from left fielder Astery Lewis in the fifth allowed yet another Brewers player to cross the plate. This made for three errors during Kershaw’s fourth inning alone.
To add to the team’s woes, star player Freddie Freeman faced an injury after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning, according to manager Dave Roberts.
The Dodgers, already lacking several key players—including third baseman Max Muncie (who is dealing with bone bruises in his left knee) and pitchers Blake Snell (suffering from an inflamed left shoulder) and Saga Roki (who is recovering from a shoulder collision)—are in a tough spot.
As they prepare to face the Twins and head into a nine-game road trip to Boston, Cincinnati, and Tampa Bay, the team will be counting on veteran leadership from Kershaw to help them regroup.
In his 18 seasons with the Dodgers, Kershaw has maintained a 3.27 ERA this season, recording 37 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Los Angeles (58-42) holds the top spot in the National League West, currently up 3½ games over the Padres.
