Kershaw put collectively considered one of his sharpest outings of the season in Saturday night time’s 11-5 win over the Giants at Dodger Stadium, blanking San Francisco throughout seven innings. After racking up 5 strikeouts, he’s only a dozen shy of three,000 for his profession.
“Perhaps by September I’ll get there, we’ll see,” Kershaw stated. “It’s clearly a really cool factor and it’s beginning to get just a little extra on the forefront of the thoughts, however who is aware of how lengthy 12 might take me at this level? It may be till August, so we’ll see.”
The Dodgers have had no illusions about the truth that the model of Kershaw they’re getting this season is previous the height of his profession. The 37-year-old left-hander did not make his season debut till Could 17 whereas finishing his rehab from offseason surgical procedures on his left toe and left knee, and his first six begins have been considerably of a combined bag.
However Saturday could possibly be one thing for Kershaw to construct on. He accomplished seven scoreless innings for the primary time since June 20, 2023, in opposition to the Angels, and matched Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the longest outing by a Dodgers starter this yr.
Kershaw drew a well-known opponent within the Giants, the membership he is confronted greater than every other in his profession. Coming into the sport, 408 of his strikeouts got here in opposition to the Dodgers’ longtime rivals, an astounding 91 greater than the subsequent closest group, the Padres.
So he tacked on 5 extra for good measure. Three of them got here by way of his nasty curveball, which was working higher than it had been in a lot of his earlier begins.
However despite the fact that his ultimate line was in fine condition — seven scoreless innings, three hits, one stroll, 5 strikeouts — Kershaw wasn’t glad simply but.
“Perhaps it’s my character, I don’t know,” Kershaw stated. “You by no means really feel nice about it. I feel there’s at all times stuff you wish to have again. However the outcomes, finally on the finish of the day to win the sport, that’s a very powerful factor.”
“Within the second, I can consider some pitches off the highest of my head that I’d wish to have again, that I’d wish to throw higher,” Kershaw added. “However there’s no restrictions bodily, health-wise, which is nice. It’s simply form of pitching now, which is sweet.”
No matter how Kershaw felt about it, the Dodger Stadium trustworthy definitely loved it. After the veteran received Casey Schmitt to floor out for the ultimate out of the seventh, the followers rose up and roared to point out some appreciation for his or her franchise icon.
“It was particular,” Kershaw stated. “I truthfully didn’t know if I used to be carried out or not, so I didn’t wish to come out of the second an excessive amount of. However I really like pitching right here. I don’t take it with no consideration. Who is aware of what number of I’ve received left right here? So I’m simply going to take pleasure in it. It’s particular any time any person cheers for you want that.”
