Since returning from the Injured List, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw has started two games.

He won both of them.

As Dodgers fans (and opposing hitters) know all to well, the 33-year-old Dallas, TX native and Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2006 out of Highland Park High School in University Park, TX, landed on the 10-Day IL on July 7 due to ‘left forearm inflammation’. His return to action was delayed due to ‘left elbow soreness,’ which he experienced during his initial recovery attempt, finally returning to action on September 13, 2021.

In that first game back against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium, Kershaw went 4.0 innings, during which he allowed only one run on four hits while walking one and striking out five. As you would expect, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had his ace and future Hall of Famer on a very strict pitch-count and innings-limit, removing him after four innings, with him having faced 18 Diamondbacks batters and having made 50 pitches, of which 34 were strikes.

“There’s not a lot of better feelings in the world than getting to pitch here [at Dodger Stadium] and getting the win. It’s a special thing, so I missed it,” Kershaw told reporters (via Zoom) after his ninth win of the season (with seven losses). “It was good to be back, and we got a win today, and everything worked out. It was good.”

Good indeed.

And then came Kershaw’s second post-IL start against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Sunday morning / afternoon. Prior to the game, Roberts told reporters that Kershaw would again be under a strict pitch-count / innings-limit; this time somewhere in the “five and 70, 75” range.

He went five and threw 74 pitches, of which 52 were strikes, allowing only one run on three hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts in the Dodgers 8-5 victory. It was Kershaw’s 10th win of the season.

“I felt that it was a step forward overall,” Kershaw said postgame. “I thought I had a little bit just better feel for [my pitches]; more crisp with each pitch, I think. Was a little bit better, so it’s good.

“I think still got a little bit – a ways to go – as far as the stamina goes. I think we got up to 75 pitches or so,” Kershaw added. “But it’s another good building block and got a couple more before the playoffs, so it was a good step overall.”

Good indeed.

But it was Dodgers slugger and fellow future Hall of Famer Mookie Betts who summed up Kershaw’s second post-IL start best:

“It’s Clayton Kershaw, he was doing his thing,” Betts said. “[I’ve] had that vantage point for a year, two years now and it’s pretty fun to watch.”

Fun indeed.

But wait! There’s More!

After Kershaw and the Dodgers handed it to the Reds on Sunday afternoon, the NL East first-place Atlanta Braves shut out the NL West first-place San Francisco Giants 3-0 at Oracle Park on Sunday evening. With that loss, the Dodgers once again trail The Hated Ones by only 1.0 games with 12 left to play.

So what’s next for Kershaw with (presumably) “…a couple more before the playoffs?”

“His next turn we can reach that six-inning threshold,” Roberts said confidently.

Great news indeed.

…unless you’re an opposing hitter, that is.

Play Ball!

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