Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — All-Star Week is off to a great start for Dodger fans. Not only were Tyler Anderson, and Freddie Freeman added to the NL roster, it was announced to today that your All-Star game starter will be our very own Clayton Kershaw.
In a move that will make everybody happy except Sandy Alcantara’s mom, manager Brian Snitker announced that Kersh will be getting the ball first for the National League Squad. “Clayton’s name just kept coming to the forefront,” Snitker said. “What he’s meant to the game of baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, I think it’s just perfect that he starts this game.”
It wasn’t a matter of career resume. Kershaw is the best lefty of his generation. The only question was whether or not he had enough of a track record in 2022 to merit the start. His main rivals for the gig, Miami’s Sandy Alcantara and teammate Tony Gonsolin, both have pitched considerably more innings than Kersh this season. Alcantara has 138 innings under his belt. Gonsolin has 93. Kershaw, because of a back injury and an IL stint, has pitched only 71. But as I said in my post last week. This is not about who happens to have the best record right now. It’s about honoring what Kershaw has done throughout the years. If I were voting for Cy Young of the first half, I would probably give it to Alcantara. But for All-Star starter? Gotta be Kershaw.
Clayton took the news well, but with his usual humor. “Now that it’s finally here and I get to start that game tomorrow night, it means a lot,” Kershaw said, adding with a laugh: “Hopefully I don’t screw it up too bad.”
