After a bit of a down year in 2019 and rough ending in the postseason, there was a lot of talk about Clayton Kershaw declining and if the Los Angeles Dodgers could continue counting on him.
Kershaw showed some vulnerability after the Dodgers were eliminated by the Washington Nationals, but he also expressed a determination to help get the team over the hump. Kershaw did some of his offseason training with Driveline Baseball to try and regain velocity.
He pitched well during Spring Training and Summer Camp, but Kershaw’s 2020 season got off to a bit of a rough start as he was scratched just hours before a scheduled start on Opening Day due to a back injury.
Kershaw has a long history of back injuries, which was certainly cause for concern. This one wound up not being serious and he only missed a couple of weeks before returning and having a spectacular regular season.
The southpaw’s velocity ticked up a bit and in 10 regular-season starts, Kershaw went 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA, 3.31 FIP and 0.84 WHIP, 62 strikeouts and eight walks in 58.1 innings. Kershaw placed ninth in National League Cy Young voting and was recently named to the All-MLB Second Team.
Up until 2020, Kershaw and the Dodgers had yet to win a World Series despite having a number of talented teams, and one reason for that was his personal struggles in October.
They changed that narrative by winning it all this year, and this time around, Kershaw was a positive influence in making that happen. In five postseason starts, Kershaw went 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 0.91 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and five walks in 30.2 innings.
He was also brilliant in the World Series, winning Games 1 and 5 while limiting the Tampa Bay Rays to a combined three runs over 11.2 innings pitched.
2020 highlight
Kershaw saved his best start of the 2020 season for his first outing of the playoffs, tossing eight shutout innings in Game 2 of the Wild Card series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
He was in control all night, allowing just three hits while striking out 13 and walking just one on 93 pitches. Not only was it Kershaw’s best start of the season, but also perhaps the best postseason start of his career.
2021 outlook
Kershaw is getting set to enter his 14th MLB season with the Dodgers and there’s certainly less talk about his decline this offseason compared to a year ago.
He is entering the final year of his current contract though, so 2021 could be a big year in determining if Kershaw will sign another deal to finish out his career with the Dodgers.
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