Dodgers Interview: Kersh and the quest for consistency
"It wasn't super clean tonight."
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw wasn’t at his sharpest on Friday night, but the future Hall of Famer battled through five innings, giving up two solo home runs and five hits to pick up his third win of the season as the Dodgers edged out the Nationals, 6–5, at Dodger Stadium.
“It wasn’t super clean tonight,” Kershaw admitted postgame. “They hit some homers, but, you know, kind of a team win tonight. Bullpen did great, got some big knocks, big offense for us. So yeah—it wasn’t special by any means, but a win’s a win.”
Kershaw walked three and struck out five in the outing, relying on run support from the Dodgers’ offense and a strong bullpen effort to secure the victory. Though far from dominant, Kershaw stayed composed, even as the Nationals found some barrels.
Asked whether the off night came down to command, he pointed instead to the bottom line: results.
“Just results,” he said. “I walk too many guys, too many hits. I’m not a big overanalyzer—you know, just if they hit it, it wasn’t a good pitch. And if they don’t, it’s a good pitch. So, they hit too many of them tonight.”
Despite his self-critique, Kershaw now owns a 2.57 ERA for the month of June—a stat that highlights just how high his standards remain even in his 17th big league season.
“It’s weird,” he said. “I think the last couple starts—even against the Giants—I felt like it wasn’t quite as good as the one before that. So just trying to figure out how to be a little bit more consistent.”
He continued, “I don’t really know how yet. I’m just trying to work through that a little bit. But overall, I think I have enough to get some guys out, and thankfully it’s working out right now.”
That quest for consistency is nothing new for Kershaw, who’s famously meticulous yet intuitive on the mound. He spoke candidly about trying to fine-tune his mechanics, something he says is easier said than done.
“I’m not very good with mechanics,” he admitted with a laugh. “Mark [Prior], Connor [McGuiness], all these guys—they’ve got good advice for me, and until I feel it, it’s really hard for me to change.”
“I’ve been called stubborn before,” he added, “and I don’t think this is stubborn. I just—I’ve got to feel it a little bit more.”
Still, even if he hasn’t quite found his groove, Kershaw is confident he can compete. “It’s not affecting me pitching overall,” he said. “I can still get people out. I just want to do it a little bit better.”
When asked if there’s been a start this year where everything clicked, Kershaw nodded.
“There’s been a couple. I know it’s in there. That’s the frustrating part,” he said. “There were a few pitches tonight where it clicked, and it’s just not every one. So hopefully it’ll get there.”
Even when not at his best, Kershaw continues to give the Dodgers a chance to win—and with an offense that supported him with six runs on eight hits, it was enough.
The win kept the Dodgers atop the NL West, and for Kershaw, it was another step forward in a season defined by perseverance, perspective, and an unwavering desire to keep improving.
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