As society adjusts to the new norm brought by concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the sports world has taken a back seat for the time being.
Major League Baseball was forced to suspend operations last month, cancelling all remaining Spring Training games and indefinitely delaying the start of the regular season.
While a multitude of scenarios are being discussed to potentially resume play at some point in May, there still isn’t a timetable on when it will be deemed safe for players to take the field again.
Looking to fill the void of no baseball, MLB Network has televised a plethora of classic games over the past few weeks to keep fans entertained. On Thursday at 8 p.m. PT, the channel will air Clayton Kershaw’s MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The left-hander received his first taste of big league action on May 25, 2008, against the St. Louis Cardinals. He allowed two runs on five hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking one.
Of his 102 pitches, 69 were thrown for strikes. Kershaw issued a one-out walk and allowed an RBI double to Albert Pujols, but otherwise struck out the side in the first inning.
Kershaw exited with the game tied and did not factor into the decision as the Dodgers won in the 10th inning on Andre Ethier’s walk-off single.
He wound up making 22 starts as a rookie and has since become a staple of L.A.’s starting rotation over the past decade.
Kershaw has gone on to win three National League Cy Young Awards, 2014 MVP honors and multiple ERA titles. An eight-time All-Star, the 2020 season will mark his 13th with the Dodgers.
Other networks have re-aired classic MLB games in recent days. This past Tuesday, ESPN televised Game 1 of the 1988 World Series between the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics.
Earlier this month, SportsNet LA re-aired a plethora of Dodgers’ National League West clinching games, including Steve Finley’s walk-off grand slam against the San Francisco Giants in 2004.
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