As Dodgers fans know, 35-year-old Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw got off to a blazing start to the 2023 season, posting a Kershaw-like 5-1 record and ridiculous 1.89 ERA through March and April.

…and then the calendar flipped to May.

In his five starts in May, the Dallas, TX native and Dodgers first round draft pick in 2006 out of Highland Park High School in Dallas went a very un-Kershaw-like 1-3 with a very un-Kershaw-like 5.55 ERA, to put him at 6-4 on the season with a 3.33 ERA; no bad, but not what Dodgers fans were used to from the future Hall of Famer.

Well the calendar has flipped again, and if what we witnessed on Friday night at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees is any indication, ‘He’s baaaack!’

In the first of three interleague games against The Evil Empire at the Ravine, Kershaw allowed only two runs (on two solo home runs) and only four hits in his 7.0 innings pitched, his longest start of the season to this point. Along the way, he struck out nine while walking only one.

“It feels good to pitch good,” Kershaw told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson after his excellent outing. “Yeah, definitely better than the last few, so that’s good, and able to get deeper in the game, which is also something that you need to do.

“Yeah, I mean, when they (the Dodgers) score six runs in the first inning, it feels good to… it’s a great way to pitch, so just try and protect it as best you can. Gave up a few solo homers, but I’m okay with that, you know. It’s better than walking guys, having guys on base, so overall it was a great win today. And yeah, it feels good to be back on the winning side,” he added.

“He was great. The stuff was what we’ve become accustomed to seeing – life to the fastball, working different quadrants, slider was really good, used the breaking ball, the curveball enough tonight,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters postgame. “There was a lot of soft contact, efficient innings, and to get him through seven was great.”

Great indeed.

As for that “…when they score six runs in the first inning…” thing, Dodgers superstar right fielder (and occasional shortstop and second baseman) Mookie Betts got the party started on the first pitch of the game by Yankees right-hander Luis Severino, which he promptly deposited over the wall in left field to give the Dodgers a very early 1-0 lead before the seats were even warm.

The Dodgers would send 10 men to the plate in that first inning, with Betts also singling to left field in his second at-bat and second RBI of the inning. Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy also homered in the inning – a two-run blast to left-center field – to make it 3-0 Dodgers, as late-comers were still filing into the stadium. Muncy now leads the team with 18 home runs thus far this season. (It’s June 2).

Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez added a solo shot in the bottom of the third inning – a 413-foot shot to centerfield – to give the Dodgers a then 7-1 lead. Betts added another home run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 8-2 good guys. It was his 15th home run of the season, of which the Dodgers now have 100 on the season.

Well done, boys.

…and welcome back, Kersh!

Play Ball!

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