Clayton Kershaw was sentimental and excited heading into a record-tying 18th season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but his 2025 debut began on the wrong note.
Kershaw labored through four innings against the Los Angeles Angels as he allowed five runs and walked three batters while collecting just two strikeouts.
“I loved being back out there. It’s a special thing to get to be back and pitch at Dodger Stadium. Obviously, I wanted to pitch better. I need to pitch better going forward,” Kershaw said after the Dodgers’ 11-9 loss.
He began the game with a strikeout, only for that to be followed by a single and two walks to load the bases. Logan O’Hoppe then hit a two-run single and Matthew Lugo added an RBI double before Kershaw could get through the first inning.
Both of Kershaw’s strikeouts came in the first, and while he walked just one more batter after the opening frame, there wasn’t much consistency with putting hitters away. However, Kershaw believes there is reason for optimism.
“I think for me, just to see some glimpses of my stuff being there, is good. The problem was my command. I had really bad command tonight. I think I can fix that, which is good and an encouraging thing,” Kershaw said.
“Obviously, not good enough tonight to get it done. But first one back, to be out here at Dodger Stadium, it was special for me regardless of the outcome.”
Kershaw couldn’t pinpoint what led to command struggles and felt that while his slider at times was producing outs, that too wasn’t overly sharp.
“I think more than anything with the slider, there were a lot of foul balls instead of swing and miss. That needs to be my out pitch,” he said. “That needs to be the one that gets swing and miss. I think it’s in there. Just the location wasn’t great today. I left a lot of them out over middle.”
Dave Roberts sees positive signs with Clayton Kershaw
Similar to sentiments Kershaw shared about his first start of the season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also came away encouraged.
“That’s the old Clayton. He’s a strike thrower, he’s efficient, and those are his typical innings,” Roberts said of Kershaw retiring the side in order on 11 pitches in the second inning.
“The first inning, I think it was just some misfires and I think he had some two-strike counts but couldn’t put hitters away. I thought he did a really nice job of settling in, certainly after that first inning where the pitch count got up pretty quickly. To be able to give us four innings was very helpful.”
Roberts added: “I think the stuff overall, I was impressed with. I thought the velocity was more than it’s been in quite some time. I thought at times, the slider was good, there was some swing and miss early, at times the curveball was good, he mixed in a lot of changeups, which was good.
“I think tonight, the command just wasn’t consistent. He got to a lot of two-strike counts and couldn’t put hitters away, where typically that’s his hallmark. When he gets count leverage, he can get a strikeout. Tonight he just couldn’t put guys away.
“Again, I just though the stuff overall, I was really excited about. But just the command, whether that was because of adrenaline, emotions, not pitching in a big league game. All that stuff.”
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