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“What would you think if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song. And I’ll try not to sing out of key. Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends.”

The Beatles

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Every time 35-year-old Dodgers future Hall of Fame left-hander Clayton Kershaw takes the mound, three things happen:

1. He usually wins.
2. History is made.
3. He always has something interesting and entertaining to say about it.

On Wednesday evening in front of a Dodger Stadium crowd of 41,413 against the National League Central first place Milwaukee Brewers, Clayton Kershaw:

1. Won.
2. Is now one win behind Dodgers Hall of Famer Don Drysdale on the Dodgers all-time wins list with 208 career wins.
3. Said: “Better to be lucky than good.”

No really. He actually said that.

Although the Dallas, TX native and Dodgers first round draft pick in 2006 out of Highland Park High School in University Park, TX struggled a bit in his 18th start of the season, including giving up a home run to Brewers designated hitter Mark Canha to lead off the second inning, that would be the only run and one of only three hits that Kershaw would allow in his 5.0 innings pitched; this while walking two and striking out two to lower his 2023 ERA to 2.48 – which also happens to be his career ERA.

“Better to be lucky than good, I think is probably the best way to come with that,” Kershaw told reporters following his team’s 7-1 pounding of the Brew Crew. “I think so many great defensive plays, a lot of lineouts right at guys, Mookie (Betts) and Freddie Freeman) made big plays for me, a lot of great plays, CT (Chris Taylor) and Kiké (Hernández) in the outfield, so it wasn’t pretty tonight and I definitely was lucky. But at the end of the day, I’ll take it.”

“I think for me, it’s his second start back (from the IL), I thought certain things were better than the first one and other things I thought he wasn’t as sharp,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame.

As for that ‘little help from my friends’ thing, the Dodgers finished the night scoring their seven runs on 10 hits, including solo home runs by Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas and center fielder Kiké Hernández. It also included two more doubles by Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who also made two spectacular defensive plays in support of Kershaw.

With Kershaw’s 11th win of the season (against four losses), the Dodgers are now 73-46 on the season and now have a 10-game lead over the NL West second place San Francisco Giants with only 43 games remaining in the 2023 regular season.

Although It may be “Better to be lucky than good,” being lucky and good is even better.

Play Ball!

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