Clayton Kershaw didn’t have his best stuff Wednesday night, but still was effective enough to help the Los Angeles Dodgers earn a 9-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks that clinched a ninth consecutive series victory.
The left-hander allowed one run on three hits and collected five strikeouts against three walks across five innings pitched, which was in line with the plan manager Dave Roberts suggested before the game.
In doing so, Kershaw picked up the 209th win of his career, tying him with Don Drysdale for second place in Dodgers franchise history. Don Sutton is the Dodgers’ all-time wins leader with 233.
“It just means I’ve been here for a long time and been part of some really great teams. It’s cool,” Kershaw said of tying Drysdale on the Dodgers’ wins list.
Kershaw, who began his career with the Dodgers in 2008, has passed several greats in the record books in recent years. Last season he overtook Sutton for the most strikeouts in franchise history in a start against the Detroit Tigers.
Kershaw’s historic feat was met with a prolonged standing ovation from fans, which he acknowledged by twice stepping off the mound and tipping his cap. “It’s special. I didn’t expect it,” Kershaw said of the reaction at the time.
“I understand the Dodgers are a historical franchise and been around a long time, so guys that are on that list that I was fortunate enough to pass, it’s a big deal.
“But I didn’t know fans would know or honestly care that much. So it was special for me. It really was. It was cool to see. I tried to kind of brush it off and keep going, but they wouldn’t let me. It definitely meant a lot, for sure.”
Will Clayton Kershaw pitch in 2024 to chase 3,000 strikeouts?
With 2,927 career strikeouts, Kershaw will likely have to wait another season in order to reach 3,000. Only 19 pitchers in MLB history have achieved the milestone.
“Is that what it’s at now? It just means I’m not going to make it this year, am I?” Kershaw quipped.
The 35-year-old has not made a decision about potentially returning for a 17th season next year. He is set to become a free agent for the third consecutive offseason after signing one-year contracts in each of the last two years.
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