Steve Webb
HOUSTON — As Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke head out of opposing dugouts on Tuesday evening, the rivalry between the Dodgers and the Astros* will be high on everyone’s mind. Will there be any fireworks? How will a stadium full of Houston fans treat the Dodgers players? And what in the world will happen if Joe Kelly gets into the game? But amidst the hub-bub, there will be a bit of nostalgia for longtime Dodger fans. For it wasn’t that many years ago that Kershaw and Greinke were both in Dodger blue.
Greinke signs in 2012
Greinke signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in December of 2012 after putting up great numbers in Kansas City earlier in his career. His career was a bit up and down other than the Cy Young season of 2009, but he was still a very effective pitcher, and was able to get a six-year deal with the Dodgers for close to $150 million. He joined a staff that already had a young stud. Clayton Kershaw, who threw his first big league pitch at 20, was now coming into the prime of his career.
Kershaw’s remarkable run
Kershaw had won his first Cy Young award in 2011, and then finished second in the voting the following year behind the Mets’ RA Dickey (believe it or not, there was a moment there where that made sense). Clearly, the Dodgers had themselves a potent combination going into the 2013 season.
The Dodgers were just getting rid of the bad taste in their mouth left by the Frank McCourt ownership of the team, and the Greinke signing was one of the new owners early coups. The contract was the largest ever signed with a right handed pitcher up to that point, leading some to wonder whether or not the Dodgers were just going to start blowing money again now that they had it to spend.
Kershaw and Greinke together
The money would prove to be very well spent. Over the next three seasons, Greinke and Kershaw put up one of the truly great runs of any pair of starters. In the three years that they pitched together, they finished top ten in the Cy Young every year. Of course, Clayton won the whole enchilada in both 2013 and 2014. And, in a rarity for pitchers, added a league MVP award to his trophy case to boot.
Greinke’s unforgettable 2015
Greinke’s best finish was in 2015, when he finished second for the award, being narrowly edged out by the Cubs’ Jake Arrieta. However, if you look at the stats, you could make the argument that 2015 should have been a second Cy Young for Greinke. He had a lower ERA, a better WHIP, and a higher winning percentage than Arrieta that year. The only thing that probably tipped the scales in Arrieta’s favor were his 22 wins and three shutouts. But the numbers for Greinke in Los Angels were awesome that year: 19-3 with a 1.66 ERA and a 0.844 WHIP. Practically unhittable.
On the heels of a pretty amazing three-year run, Greinke opted out of his contract at the end of the year and headed to Arizona for a few years before finally landed in Houston at the trade deadline in 2019. And it is those very some Astros* for whom Greinke will take the mound tonight.
Kersh and Zack – an odd couple
The two guys are a picture in contrasts. Kershaw is a fierce competitor who has the ability to turn it off when he leaves the mound and is an affable guy around the clubhouse. Greinke, on the other hand, has always been a bit of an odd duck. Early in his career, he was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, and needed to work his way through the issue before returning to top form. He’s been known to hold up fingers on the mound to tell the catcher (and the batter, for that matter) what pitch he intended to throw. Still, through it all, he has put together a fine career. Maybe not Hall of Fame material, but definitely the Hall of Pretty Damn Good.
Greinke years laid the foundation
The three Greinke years marked the beginning of the Dodgers’ impressive run atop the NL West. And, though no World Series came of it (still can’t believe that happened), it laid the groundwork for the new Los Angeles Dodgers, a legacy that they will try to continue to build on in 2021.
And as for Greinke and the Dodgers? Don’t be sad that it’s over. Be grateful that it happened.
