Dave Roberts, the Los Angeles Dodgersmanager, revealed the role of Clayton Kershaw in the NLCS. The left-handed pitcher, who is in his MLB retirement season, has not seen much action in these playoffs, apart from a two-inning outing against the Philadelphia Phillies in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ only loss in the Division Series.
After 451 of the first 454 starts of his legendary career as a starter, Clayton Kershaw has been reinvented as an occasional reliever rather than a dominant starting pitcher. Clayton Kershaw’s only postseason appearance was forgettable
Clayton Kershaw’s performance in the 2025 MLB playoffs
After allowing a hit in the seventh inning, Clayton Kershaw allowed two home runs and four earned runs in the eighth in the Dodgers’ only postseason loss so far. “He just didn’t have a great slider tonight,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ Oct. 8 loss to the Phillies
“I think Clayton pitches off of his slider. When the slider’s not there, deep, with bite. And then the fastball command, too, was late. Just the command wasn’t there tonight.”
There is hope that he will have another chance for a more inspiring farewell on the mound
With Clayton Kershaw’s announcement earlier this season that he would retire after this year, his 18th in the majors, there is hope that he will have another chance for a more inspiring farewell on the mound. Because of Kershaw’s experience as a starter, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the National League Championship Series against the Brewers that Kershaw could again serve as a multi-inning reliever.
“I think with Clayton, I feel that he can be used against left- and right-handed pitchers,” Roberts told reporters. “I would say it’s potentially a multi-inning situation. I really don’t know the importance, for or against. But he’ll be available for whatever he’s asked to do.”
Kershaw would probably love to have the opportunity to finish what has been an up-and-down postseason career on a high note. In the postseason, Kershaw’s ERA jumps to 4.63 compared to his regular season career ERA of 2.53. Kershaw has had nightmare performances in the postseason, including a disastrous six-hit, six-run game against the Diamondbacks in 2023, in which he was pulled after just one batter.
Clayton Kershaw has had moderate success against the Brewers this season, facing them twice in a 12-day span in July. In a total of 10.1 innings, Kershaw allowed 11 hits and three earned runs to Milwaukee.
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