We hear it almost every day: “Spring training games are meaningless games.” And while we all get that from a statistical and standings point of view this is an undeniable fact, the simple truth is that for true baseball fans and even more so for players desperately trying to make their team’s Opening Day or 40-man roster, spring training games are anything but meaningless.

Here again, we all realized that games played in the Arizona Cactus League and Florida Grapefruit League have no bearing whatsoever on who will eventually make it to the Fall Classic in October, but you will have a very hard time convincing anyone watching three-time National League Cy Young award winner and 2014 NL MVP Clayton Kershaw pitch – even during spring training – that it is meaningless; at least for those who fully understand exactly what they are witnessing. Simply put, we are watching perhaps the single greatest pitcher of our generation – or ever – take the mound every five days, regardless of what month it is.

In his third start of spring training 2017 on Tuesday afternoon, Kershaw finally lost his perfect spring when he issued a four-pitch walk to Giants center fielder Gorkys Hernandez to leadoff the game. Hernandez was immediately erased when he was caught stealing by Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal. Kershaw then retired the next eight batters he face – three via strikeout – through his three innings of work.

“I’ve said it before, results don’t really matter, but I guess it’s good to see how hitters react to pitches,” Kershaw said, after his third no-hit outing of the spring. “And if you’re not giving up hits, that’s a good thing. Even though it doesn’t matter, I’ll take it, for sure.”

Watching Clayton Kershaw pitch a spring training no-hitter may be meaningless to some, but to those in the know it is watching history unfolding before their very eyes. (Photo courtesy of LA Dodgers)

So what’s the big deal here?

The big deal is that, aside from his walk to Hernandez, Kershaw has retired every one of the other 17 batters he has faced in his three spring training outings thus far. In other words, he has a no-hitter going through his combined six innings pitched this spring. Through those six scoreless / hitless innings, the soon-to-be 29-year-old (on March 19) Dallas, Texas native has struck out five, induced eight ground outs, two fly outs, two infield pop-ups and one caught stealing while allowing only one baserunner.

Official results and statistics notwithstanding, Kershaw’s on-going no-hitter probably wasn’t ‘meaningless’ to these 10,777 people. (Photo courtesy of Pantone 294)