Did Clayton Kershaw’s Rough Start Mask a Bigger Problem for the Dodgers?
Game 1 of the NLDS did not go the way the Dodgers, or their fans, thought it would. With future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw on the mound, the Dodgers fell to the Diamondbacks 11-2 in large part due to a lack of performance by Kershaw himself. He could not get out of the first inning managing only a single out and surrendering 6 earned runs before Dave Roberts yielded to Emmet Sheehan.
However, Kershaw’s performance may be the least of the Dodgers’ concerns, at least this early into the post-season.
The Dodgers’ regular season showed 2 immutable trends, the pitching staff can hardly be trusted but the offense is elite. In the 130+ year history of the Dodgers, this year’s team ranks 3rd in wRC+ (117) and 6th in runs scored (900). This prolific offense, however, failed to show up in any meaningful capacity Saturday night.
In 16 regular season starts against the Dodgers since 2019 Merrill Kelly had an 0-11 record with a 5.49 ERA going into Saturday night. 5 players in Saturday night’s starting lineup boasted an OPS over .900 against Kelly, and yet he pitched 6.1 innings giving up only 3 hits without surrendering a single run. Simply put, this historic offense went quiet into the night when needed most.
History Repeats Itself?
The 2022 post-season looms large in the heads of Dodger fans. After winning Game 1 against the Padres, the club managed only 7 runs over the next 3 games on their way to an early exit. Regardless of upcoming pitching performances, if the offense continues to produce the way it did last night, then it will be 2022 all over again.
If the Dodgers hope to have any success moving forward, they will need contributions from their superstars. The likes of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman need to make their presence felt on the field. Their energy is palpable, infectious, and a pre-requisite to a deep playoff run.
The Dodgers look to even the series Monday night at the Ravine in a match-up of young studs, Bobby Miller vs Zac Gallen.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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