Cody Snavely
Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw is off to arguably his best start since 2019, where he currently sits with six wins and a 2.36 ERA. However, there is more to judge than just his wins and ERA to show just how good of a start he is on in the 2023 season.
Kershaw’s most significant problem since the 2016 season has always been his health, precisely a back problem that has lingered with him since he was put on the IL for it way back in the 2016 MLB season. However, Kershaw and the Dodgers have taken the proper steps to avoid ever needing surgery. Regardless, a breaking point was reached in the 2021 season when Kershaw was sidelined for much of the season and missed the entire 2021 MLB Postseason due to elbow pain. Kershaw would have an MRI showing no ligament damage, which was great news as he would avoid Tommy John Surgery.
For Kershaw, this affected his outlook for his career as, from this point, he has only stated that he would only sign one-year deals with either the Dodgers or his hometown Texas Rangers. In the 2022 off-season, there were rumors of Kershaw retiring if an agreement could not be met with LA. However, those were put to bed when the Dodgers resigned Kershaw for the 2023 season. Many media publications dismissed Kershaw’s chances of returning to that elite level we saw in years past, but did he ever leave that elite level?
Kershaw has never left “Elite” status.
The first eight seasons from Kershaw were historical, which saw him with three Cy Young awards and an MVP while also being the top or top three in nearly every pitching category. His next eight seasons saw similar or better production, but he was sidelined for his back and elbow, so he missed a decent chunk of innings that would hurt his chances of winning more awards. The difference in the innings was pretty significant. 2008-2015: 1,611 IP 2016-2023: 1,020 IP So, a pretty decent chunk.
Kershaw’s 2023 start.
Entering 2023, Kershaw seems to be at his healthiest in quite some time, and that speaks volumes about him and the Dodgers staff and organization that has laid out a clear plan for him to prolong his career. What is shocking about Kershaw in 2023 is how deep he is going into games, as he is currently sixth in the NL with 49.2 innings pitched. Kershaw is also tied for the NL in wins with six, sixth in ERA, and fourth in WHIP. Besides a bad start in Arizona and San Diego, Kershaw has been dominant this year and could very well be on his way to another top-five Cy Young finish. Many fans forget that Kershaw is only 35 years old, and with pitchers like Justin Verlander still winning Awards, there’s no reason why Kershaw can’t either.
Career milestones to look for
As mentioned, Kershaw is only 35 years old and could pitch until his 38 to age 40 season if he wanted to. I also find it very hard to see him throwing for another uniform. However, many career milestones are within reach realistically.
Dodgers Wins: Kershaw is currently ranked third all-time in Dodgers wins with 203, thirty away from tying Don Sutton. If Kershaw stays with LA for the next 2-3 seasons, he could break or tie this record.
3000 Strikeouts: Kershaw currently has 2863 career strikeouts and only needs 137 more to reach this career milestone, which could happen this season if he gets 193 strikeouts.
All-Star Appearance: If Kershaw makes the 2023 MLB All-Star Team, it will be his 10th time in his major league Career.
Conclusion
Clayton Kershaw has already cemented his Hall of Fame case and is now on a journey to check off a few more career milestones while also on a quest for his second World Series Trophy.
