Clayton Kershaw proves he can be just as great in the postseason with NLDS heroics
Kershaw came out of the bullpen two days after throwing 110 pitches in Game 4
By
Mike Axisa
•
2 min read
Clayton Kershaw has been waiting for a moment like this. He needed a moment like this. The greatest pitcher of his generation always seemed to leave fans wanting more in the postseason. On Thursday, he went above and beyond to send the Dodgers to the NLCS.
Just 48 hours after throwing 110 pitches in Game 4 of the NLDS -- 110 pitches on three days' rest, no less -- Kershaw came out of the bullpen to record the final two outs of Game 5 on Thursday night (LAD 4, WAS 3). He entered with the tying run at second to face Daniel Murphy, maybe the best pure hitter in the league.
Seven pitches later, the Dodgers were on the field celebrating. Murphy popped up to second base and pinch-hitter Wilmer Difo, the last man on the Nationals' bench, struck out to end the game. Kershaw threw 218 pitches across two starts and one relief appearance in a seven-day span.
Kershaw led all players in championship win probability added during the series
— Dan Hirsch (@DanHirsch) October 14, 2016
This was Randy Johnson in the 1995 ALDS, coming out of the bullpen in Game 5 two days after throwing 117 pitches in Game 3. This was Madison Bumgarner two years ago, picking up the four-inning save in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series three days after throwing a shutout in Game 5. This performance goes down with games like that.
Kershaw told reporters he was exhausted, mentally and physically, after Game 4. Manager Dave Roberts said he "absolutely" would not use his ace in Game 5. Yet when push came to shove, Kershaw asked into the game, and his manager gave him the ball. If the Dodgers were going to lose, they were going to lose with their best on the mound, whether he was exhausted or not.
This was the kind of performance people have been waiting to see from Kershaw in the postseason. He started on short rest in Game 3 and came out of the bullpen one day later, with the tying run on second and the season on the line. This was as high-leverage as it gets, and Kershaw aced it. Lots and lots of folks were waiting for the game-tying base hit in that ninth inning. It never came.
The Dodgers are now moving on to play the Cubs and they'll have to deal with the repercussions of Game 5. Jansen threw 51 pitches and Kershaw is on fumes. They might not be available when the NLCS begins Saturday. They might not be available in Game 2 either. Then again, the Dodgers don't get to the NLCS without those two in Game 5.
For all his regular season success -- and make no mistake, Kershaw is on track to be an inner-circle Hall of Famer -- the big moment has eluded Kershaw in October. He nearly had it in Game 4 before the bullpen made a mess of things. That legacy defining moment came in Game 5. Kershaw's performance Thursday, not only sent his team to the NLCS, it changed his postseason reputation.
