It’s well known within and outside the Los Angeles Dodgers organization how much of a competitor Clayton Kershaw is, and he isn’t one to be approached for trivial conversations on his start days. The Dodgers have learned Rich Hill and Alex Wood are in a similar mold.
“If you look at the body of work from our guys, they’re all crazy,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently said of Yu Darvish, Hill, Kershaw and Wood. “I think Yu is probably the most mild-mannered and most normal.
“But Clayton, he’s crazy on his day. Rich, you guys just had Rich, he’s crazy. Alex, sneaky crazy. Yu’s kind of, I’m still learning him, but I would say he’s the most normal out of all of them.”
Players in the clubhouse have often commended Kershaw for his work ethic between starts and laser-like focus when taking the ball.
“They kind of feed off each other,” Roberts said of his postseason starters. “I think Alex being with Clayton the last few years has taken some of that. Like I said, even Yu being around this short period of time and sees the work in between starts and the preparation that goes into being a superstar pitcher.”
The Dodgers received strong starts from Kershaw in Game 1, Hill in Games 2 and 5, and Wood in Game 4, which puts the spotlight back on Darvish. He struggled at Minute Maid Park but is confident in adjustments made since the outing.
Darvish presumably will be backed in Game 7 by Kershaw and Wood, among others. Roberts was confident in the team’s four starters to propel them through the playoffs, and now should have three of them at his disposal for a winner-take-all matchup against the Houston Astros.
Kershaw, who last pitched three days ago, said he’s willing to go 27 innings, if that is what the Dodgers need of him.
