Kershaw allowed four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six batters over five innings in a no-decision against Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Kershaw looked good through three scoreless frames and carried a 3-0 lead into the fourth. However, the Rays converted a walk and two hits into two runs in that inning before taking the lead on a Harold Ramirez two-run homer in the fifth. Kershaw's outing ended after five frames and 83 pitches, marking the third straight outing during which he's had a relatively early exit. The veteran southpaw has allowed 10 runs over 12.2 innings over that span, pushing his season ERA up to 3.32. Kershaw is still piling up strikeouts -- he has 34 across his past 24.1 frames -- but he's uncharacteristically issued 11 free passes during that span after walking just five batters across his first 38 innings this season.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Activated from bereavement list
Rotowire
Kershaw was activated from the bereavement list Friday.
Kershaw will return to the Dodgers ahead of his scheduled start Saturday against the Rays. The left-hander has produced an impressive 2.98 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 69 strikeouts over 57.1 innings in 10 starts this season.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Goes on bereavement
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Kershaw was placed on the bereavement list by the Dodgers on Monday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Kershaw's mother recently passed, so he'll have some time for mourning. He is not expected to miss a start, putting the lefty in line to take the ball this weekend in Tampa Bay.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: In line to make next start
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Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Kershaw will be placed on the bereavement list in the coming days but will make his next start, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Kershaw will spend the next few days with his family following the recent passing of his mother, but he isn't expected to miss any starts. The southpaw started Sunday against the Cardinals and allowed four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six in 3.2 innings. Assuming he rejoins the team when expected, his next start lines up for next weekend in Tampa Bay.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Preparing to start Sunday
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Kershaw said he plans to make his next scheduled start Sunday against the Cardinals, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Kershaw is expected to be placed on the bereavement list following the recent death of his mother, but he will be back with the club this weekend in time for his next scheduled start. The future Hall of Famer covered a season-low four innings in Tuesday's loss to the Twins.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Strikes out seven in loss
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Kershaw (6-3) took the loss Tuesday versus the Twins, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out seven in four innings.
It's understandable if Kershaw wasn't feeling 100 percent after his mother's death Saturday, and it remains possible he could go on the bereavement list this week. Tuesday's start was his shortest outing of the season, though he was still able to put in a reasonable effort. He has a 2.52 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 63:11 K:BB over 53.2 innings through nine starts. Should he step away from the team, Kershaw would be absent for 3-7 days, so there's no guarantee he'd be available to pitch on normal rest this weekend versus the Cardinals.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Still starting Tuesday
Rotowire
Kershaw will start Tuesday against the Twins despite the recent death of his mother, but he could head to the bereavement list after the outing, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.
Kershaw won't immediately step away from the team after his mother passed away Saturday, but he could understandably still take some time after starting Tuesday's contest. The veteran left-hander wouldn't necessarily have to miss a start if placed on the bereavement list, though the Dodgers are likely to provide him as much time as he needs.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Stifles Brewers in win
Rotowire
Kershaw (6-2) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits over seven innings in an 8-1 victory over the Brewers. He struck out eight without walking a batter.
Aside from a William Contreras solo shot in the fourth inning, Kershaw was dominant, generating 18 swinging strikes among his 92 pitches. The 35-year-old southpaw is showing he still has plenty left in the tank, posting a 2.36 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 56:10 K:BB through his first 49.2 innings of 2023 with six quality starts in eight outings. He'll look to keep rolling when he next takes the mound, likely at home against the Twins early next week.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Not great Friday
Rotowire
Kershaw (5-2) took the loss Friday versus the Padres, allowing four runs on eight hits and five walks with seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
Kershaw threw just 56 of 94 pitches for strikes, and he was tagged for a pair of home runs by Fernando Tatis. Kershaw was bumped up a day with the Dodgers opting to give Dustin May more time between outings, but this was still an appearance on regular rest for the veteran. It's the first time this season Kershaw's failed to complete six innings, and he now has a 2.53 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 48:10 K:BB across 42.2 innings over seven starts. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Kershaw for a road start Wednesday versus the Brewers prior to Friday's game, per Matthew Moreno of Dodgersblue.com.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Will get start Wednesday
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Friday that Kershaw will start Wednesday's game against the Brewers, Matthew Moreno of Dodgersblue.com reports.
Kershaw, who is also starting Friday, will start Wednesday's contest after Gavin Stone was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City after a disappointing MLB debut against the Phillies. Kershaw has been excellent in 2023, and he'll be making that start against the Brewers on regular rest.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Scheduled to start Friday
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw is currently the scheduled starter for Friday's game against the Padres, Matthew Moreno of DodgersBlue.com reports.
Dustin May was lined up for Friday's start with Kershaw going against the Padres on Saturday, but the Dodgers appear committed to giving May some extra time to rest up. Kershaw was outstanding in his most recent start last Saturday, tossing seven scoreless innings in a win over the Cardinals.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Dominates in scoreless outing
Rotowire
Kershaw (5-1) earned the win Saturday, allowing two hits over seven scoreless innings against St. Louis. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter.
Kershaw has been in vintage form this season, allowing just one earned run over his last 20 innings. The southpaw currently sports a 0.76 WHIP, good for third in the league. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner is an easy lineup lock ahead of his next start, which is tentatively scheduled to be on the road against San Diego.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Scores third straight quality start
Rotowire
Kershaw (4-1) earned the win Sunday, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk over six innings against the Cubs. He struck out six.
The Dodgers found themselves down 2-0 in the bottom of the first after leadoff man Nico Hoerner reached on a fielding error and Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki each tagged Kershaw for singles. However, Kershaw managed to settle down after the inning, retiring 11 of the next 12 batters he faced before Yan Gomes hit a solo home run to start the fifth. With the win, Kershaw entered a five-way tie for first place in wins for the 2023 season and currently ranks sixth in innings pitched. He is expected to take the bump again this weekend versus the Cardinals in Los Angeles.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Secures 200th career win
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Kershaw (3-1) earned the win Tuesday, allowing three hits over seven scoreless innings against the Mets. He struck out nine without walking a batter.
The future Hall of Famer had a vintage performance, getting out of jams to start and finish his outing. The southpaw also passed Mickey Lolich for 22nd all time in strikeouts with 2,833. The 35-year-old has impressive career accomplishments and is still performing at a high level. His 0.92 WHIP is 11th in the league through Tuesday's games, and he's giving up just one free pass per start. He tentatively lines up to face the Cubs in his next outing.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Recovers for second win
Rotowire
Kershaw (2-1) picked up the victory in Wednesday's 10-5 win over the Giants, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out four batters over six innings.
Kershaw got off to shaky start Wednesday, allowing a pair of runs in the first inning and another in the second. The veteran southpaw found his footing thereafter, retiring 12 of the final 14 batters he faced and ending up with the win. Kershaw is no longer striking out batters like he did in his prime, but he's given the Dodgers a steady presence in the rotation by going exactly six innings in all three of his starts and nabbing a pair of victories. He's posted a 3.50 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 17:4 K:BB through 18 frames.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Gives up four to ARI in loss
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Kershaw (1-1) took the loss Friday while allowing four runs in six innings on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts against the Diamondbacks.
Kershaw gave up a run in the first and third and then allowed two homers in the sixth. The southpaw threw 58 of 91 pitches for strikes in a so-so effort at best. Kershaw will take a 3.75 ERA into a start that's scheduled for next week in San Francisco.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Kicks off 16th campaign with win
Rotowire
Kershaw (1-0) earned the win over Arizona on Saturday, pitching six innings and allowing one run on four hits and no walks while striking out nine batters.
Kershaw ceded the Dodgers' Opening Day starter role to Julio Urias this season, but the veteran doesn't appear to have slipped much despite having taxed his left arm with over 2,500 career regular-season innings. The future Hall of Famer was very sharp Saturday, racking up 13 swinging strikes and 21 called strikes among his 76 total pitches while fanning nine batters in six frames. The only run against Kershaw came on a second-inning home run off the bat of Christian Walker. Kershaw rebounded from a down 2021 performance with a 2.28 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 126.1 innings last season, and Saturday's effort suggests that he still has the stuff to rank among the league's most effective hurlers.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Dominant in final spring start
Rotowire
Kershaw tossed six scoreless innings in an exhibition contest against the Angels on Sunday, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out seven batters.
Kershaw breezed through six frames on just 74 pitches, and he stretched out even further by following the outing with a simulated inning in the bullpen, per David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports. The veteran southpaw got Mike Trout to go down three times on swinging strikes and fanned Shohei Ohtani on another swing-and-miss. Kershaw finished the exhibition slate with a 3.44 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 16:2 K:BB over 18.1 innings. He's scheduled to make his first start of the regular-season April 1 at home against Arizona.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Will start third game for LA
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Kershaw will make his first start of the regular season in the Dodgers' third game of the campaign, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.
The Dodgers announced Friday that southpaw Julio Urias will be their Opening Day starter, and manager Dave Roberts prefers to avoid having a lefty start on back-to-back days. That means Dustin May will slot in between Urias and Kershaw, the latter of whom lines up to face fellow veteran southpaw Madison Bumgarner and the Diamondbacks on April 1.
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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw: Won't start Opening Day
Rotowire
Julio Urias is likely to be named the Dodgers' Opening Day starter, with Kershaw following him in the rotation for the second game of the season, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
For the decade leading into last season, Kershaw and Opening Day went hand-in-hand, as the future Hall of Famer started every season opener in which he wasn't injured from 2011 to 2021. However, Walker Buehler was chosen as the team's first starter last season, and Urias appears to be in line for that honor this year. Nonetheless, Kershaw is coming off an excellent campaign during which he started the All Star game for the first time and finished with a 2.28 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 137:23 K:BB over 126.1 innings. The southpaw is about as much of a guarantee to put up strong ratios as any pitcher in baseball, but injuries have slowed his ability to put up big counting stats late in his career.
