Dodgers Interview: Kershaw disappointed, but eager to push forward after loss
“Obviously, I wanted to pitch better."
LOS ANGELES — Saturday night at Dodger Stadium was a long-awaited moment for Clayton Kershaw and Dodgers fans alike. After a grueling recovery and months away from the mound, the veteran left-hander made his season debut in front of a packed house. The results weren’t what he wanted, but the experience still meant something deeper.
“It’s just a special thing to get to go back and pitch at Dodger Stadium,” Kershaw said after the Dodgers’ 11–9 loss to the Angels. “Obviously, I wanted to pitch better. Need to pitch better going forward. But for me, just to see some glimpses of my stuff being there—that’s encouraging.”
Kershaw allowed five earned runs over four innings in his first big league outing of 2025. He struck out two, walked three, and struggled to put hitters away despite flashes of familiar velocity and break.
“The problem tonight was just command,” he said bluntly. “I had really bad command tonight. I think I can fix that, which is good, but obviously not good tonight.”
The first inning was especially rough. Kershaw threw 33 pitches, walked two, and gave up three runs. Still, he managed to settle down briefly, retiring the side on just 11 pitches in the second. But overall, the inconsistency in execution haunted him.
“There were some good throws mixed in, but just not enough consistency,” he said. “I’ll look at it tomorrow, try to figure it out and work on it in the bullpen before the next one.”
Physically, though, Kershaw said he felt strong—a key milestone after months of rehab and uncertainty.
“Physically, I feel great,” he said. “That first inning was long. I hadn’t had a really long inning like that in rehab before, so my stamina was kind of put to the test early. Took my lumps tonight, but I’m ready for the next one.”
Though fans may have noticed Kershaw taking a moment before stepping onto the field, the 18-year veteran downplayed any emotional display.
“I don’t like the word emotional, but yeah, there’s definitely some thoughts,” he said. “It’s just special. You do it long enough, and as you get older, you learn to appreciate moments like this more.”
One of the bright spots for Kershaw was working with rookie catcher Dalton Rushing, who caught him in a major league game for the first time.
“Rush did great,” Kershaw said. “I didn’t give him a lot to work with today, but he cares a lot. He wants to be good. He was prepared, did a lot of homework, and he’s learning on the fly. He’s going to be fine.”
As for the stuff itself, Kershaw saw some positives, particularly in his signature slider, though he admitted it wasn’t where it needs to be.
“There were a lot of foul balls instead of swing-and-miss on the slider,” he said. “That needs to be my out pitch. I think it’s in there, but I left too many of them over the middle.”
Kershaw dismissed the idea that his minor league rehab performances meant much now that he’s back in the majors.
“In rehab, you’re just trying to make it here. This is where the performance starts,” he said. “Now it’s about figuring out how to get people out consistently.”
As for why he returned for an 18th season after an injury-marred 2024?
“Just wanted to pitch,” Kershaw said. “Simple as that.”
The results may not have been ideal, but Kershaw is back, healthy, and determined to fix what didn’t work. And as far as first steps go, that’s something both he and the Dodgers can build on.
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