Clayton Kershaw Returns To Form In Most Recent Start

As Clayton Kershaw goes, so goes the Dodgers. This is a fact in Los Angeles, and its why fans of the team are heartened by the ace pitcher’s latest outing. Having returned from the disabled list just a few weeks ago, Clayton Kershaw had been awful in his first start.

On Friday night, Kershaw seemed to return to form as he mowed down the Philadelphia Phillies and won the game 2-0. Yahoo Sports reports that Clayton’s previous outing was the worst of his major league career, allowing seven earned runs in just an inning and two thirds.

On Friday night, Clayton Kershaw erased the bad taste of that outing by going six strong innings, allowing no runs and striking out nine Phillie batters. After the game, Clayton Kershaw was forthcoming about his relief over the much improved outing.

“I was kind of miserable for four, five days,” Kershaw said. “It was no fun sitting on a game like that.” The outing by the ace pitcher likely brought a sigh of relief to manager Don Mattingly and the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers, as well. The team was the odds-on favorite to win the NL West heading into the season, but the team has struggled to realize its potential in the early going.

Part of those struggles were due to the team’s ace being injured early on. His poor outing had some wondering if Clayton Kershaw was still suffering from after-effects of aches and pains. The Dodgers, behind Kershaw, have now won three of their last four games and are climbing towards the top of their division.

Clayton Kershaw and his mates still have their work cut out for them if they want to catch the San Francisco Giants, who have been one of the best teams in baseball, so far this season. The Giants currently have the most wins in the Major Leagues and have built themselves a four game lead over second place Colorado.

If Kershaw continues to pitch as he did on Friday night, Clayton’s return to form will be a boon for the Dodgers. Kershaw’s outing seems to indicate that he will, indeed, continue his Cy Young level work for most of the year. Before the outing in which Clayton allowed seven runs in less than two innings, he had been posting an ERA under 2.00.

Clayton Kershaw now carries a 3-1 record with a 3.49 earned run average and has struck out 30 batters in just 24 innings pitched.

[Image via Bing]