Dodger fans, I mean real Dodger fans who do not check the team’s upcoming schedule to determine when 28-year-old left-hander Clayton Kershaw will make his next start and purchase tickets accordingly, are risking missing out on history unfolding before their very eyes. Simply put, every time the three-time NL Cy Young award winner and 2014 NL MVP takes the mound, chances are exceptionally good that something historical will happen.

On Monday evening Kershaw took the mound trying to record a seventh consecutive game with 10 or more strikeouts. It didn’t happen. But the thing is, he didn’t even care about this – not one iota.

“Strikeouts are an out, it’s just a byproduct of pitching,” Kershaw said after Monday night’s 1-0 complete game shutout over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. “I don’t know how to say it other than if I got 27 ground outs tonight that would have been awesome. Innings, especially after a game like [Sunday], are somewhat arbitrary. At times there’s situations where you definitely need to strike guys out but [it’s] not the most important thing for sure.”

Although Kershaw’s first pitch of Monday night’s game went for a double, he finished the night allowing no runs and only two hits while striking out seven and walking one. It was his 15th career complete game shutout and third of the season – all of which have come in May.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Kershaw’s bid for his second career no-hitter ended on his first pitch of the game – a double down the left field line by Cincinnati Reds shortstop Zack Cozart. It became very apparent very quickly that they – like most teams – did not want to get behind in the count against the game’s best pitcher.

“I don’t think their game plan was much different than other teams,” Kershaw said. “They did a good job tonight. I wasn’t as good as I have been in the past. They battled and I had a good two-strike approach. My off-speed stuff wasn’t as good as it has been but they battled and fought off some good pitches and put it in play … give you a chance when you put it in play. That’s a testament to them.”

Wasn’t as good as he has been in the past? Are you kidding me? Check out what our good friend Eric Stephen over at True Blue LA dug up, as he so often does.

But Kershaw isn’t just doing it with his arm, he’s doing it with his bat too. Reds pitchers limited the Dodgers to only five hits in Monday’s 1-0 win and Kershaw had one of them – the first one, in fact.

“[Finnegan’s] fastball was really good. Thankfully he threw me a strike slider. I think that’s probably the only chance I had tonight to put the bat on the ball,” said Kershaw. “You saw that last at-bat, he threw me a fastball 3-2 and I almost broke my thumb trying to hit it, so I mean it’s just slider bat speed I guess.

Reds starter Brandon Finnegan held the Dodgers hitless until Kershaw’s leadoff single in the third inning – one of only five Dodger hits on the night. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Perhaps Dodgers manager Dave Roberts summed it up best about Kershaw.

“I envision a dad telling his son ‘Hey son, this could be the greatest of all time. Take it all in.’”

Once again, if you are indeed a real Dodger fan and want to see the guy who many say could be the best there’s ever been, including Dave Roberts, you might want to keep a close eye on the Dodgers pitching rotation from here on out. In fact, booking a trip to New York to watch Kershaw’s next start against the Mets on Saturday, May 28 might not be a bad idea.

If you do, I’ll see you there.