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LOS ANGELES – Clayton Kershaw is close to joining an exclusive club as the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher gets ready for his scheduled start against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, July 2.
The 37-year-old left-hander enters the game needing just three strikeouts to become the 20th pitcher in baseball history to strike out 3,000 batters.
On May 25, 2008, he struck out his first batter as a 20-year-old rookie making his major-league debut with the Dodgers. The strikeouts began to pile up as his 18-year career has unfolded.
“It’s the last box for Clayton to check in his tremendous career,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “To be able to potentially do it at home in front of our fans, I think we’re all looking forward to that.”
Kershaw led the National League in strikeouts three times – 2011, 2013 and 2015 – and recorded a career-high 301 in 2015.
Kershaw has tormented batters with his slider and curveball and throws a four-seam fastball that registered as fast as 96 mph. Of course, he has done far more than amass strikeouts.
Before the game Wednesday, he had a record of 216-94 and a career ERA of 2.51. He is considered a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame and will become eligible five years after he retires.
How to watch Dodgers vs. White Sox: Time, TV channel, streamTime: 10:10 p.m. ETTV channel: MLB NetworkLive stream: Fubo, MLB.TV
Kershaw got Lenyn Sosa swinging to end a scoreless fifth inning for strikeout No. 2,999, but is at 92 pitches through five innings. Will Dave Roberts send him back out to start the sixth?
White Sox not cooperating for Kershaw
The chances of Kershaw notching his 3,000th strikeout tonight are dimming. He needs only two, but he’s already thrown 80 pitches through four innings and the White Sox are not cooperating.
In the fourth, he got two a two-strike count for the 12th time of the night, but the White Sox refused to whiff. They also failed to get a hit or run – but maintained a 4-2 lead over the Dodgers.
Kershaw notches strikeout No. 2,998
Never mind Kershaw that gave up a two-run homer to Austin Slater to put the White Sox up 3-2. The Dodgers crowd roared when Kershaw struck out the next batter, Michael Vargas for No. 2,998.
Kershaw gave up a total of three runs and four hits before getting out of the inning. The game heads to the bottom of the third with the White Sox leading 4-2 and Kershaw needing two more, already at 63 pitches through three.
This is beginning to feel like one of Kershaw’s postseason debacles.
Kershaw settles down in second: Still no strikeouts
After struggling in the first first inning, Kershaw retired the White Sox players in order in the second inning – but none on strikeouts. Kershaw got Vinny Capra to ground out to short to end the frame.
Kershaw got out of the inning with 10 pitches, increasing his total to 39 through two innings.
Clayton Kershaw off to rocky start and remains at 2,997
Clayton Kershaw labored through a first inning that ended without a strikeout and with him wiping his brow in relief.
He faced six White Sox batters and gave up a run on three hits. Dodgers left fielder Michael Conforto contained the damage when he made a leaping catch at the wall for the third out. Kershaw threw 29 pitches in the first inning, 19 for strikes.
Catcher Will Smith hit a home run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one.
Is Clayton Kershaw the greatest Dodgers pitcher ever?
Before the game, Roberts was asked if Kershaw is the greatest pitcher in Dodgers history. In other words: is Kershaw better than Dodgers pitching legends Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale?
“That’s a tough one,” Roberts said, indicating he had not compared the three pitchers’ accomplishments. But then he referenced Kershaw’s 18-year career.
“It’s hard to not say Clayton is the greatest Dodger (pitcher) of all time, as far as you’re talking about body of work. … Yeah, he’s a unicorn.”
The Cardinals didn’t have any tape of the 20-year-old kid who was going to make his major-league debut on May 25, 2008. No one had any scouting reports. No one faced him in the minors. So, they began asking each other if anyone knew anything about the Dodgers’ prized prospect.
Skip Schumaker was leading off for the Cardinals and stepped to the plate with a game plan.
“I figured I was going to ambush him and welcome him to the big leagues,” Schumaker told USA TODAY Sports. “The first pitch was an elevated fastball. It was harder and faster than I thought, and I swung and missed. Then he threw a curveball. It was something different. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.
“And then, well, I struck out.”
Schumaker finished his career 0-for-7 against Kershaw with six strikeouts – and grounded into a double play.
“Clayton Kershaw,” Schumaker says, “is the most dominant pitcher I’ve ever played against in my career. I’ve never seen anybody like him.”
How many strikeouts does Clayton Kershaw have?
Kershaw enters his start on July 2 with 2,997 career strikeouts – in 2,781 ⅓ innings.
Chase Meidroth (R) SSAustin Slater (R) LFMiguel Vargas (R) 1BAndrew Benintendi (L) DHEdgar Quero (S) CLenyn Sosa (R) 2BMike Tauchman (L) RFMichael A. Taylor (R) CFVinny Capra (R) 3BShohei Ohtani (L) DHMookie Betts (R) SSWill Smith (R) CFreddie Freeman (L) 1BAndy Pages (R) RFMax Muncy (L) 3BMichael Conforto (L) LFTommy Edman (S) CFHyeseong Kim (L) 2B
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