When Clayton Kershaw signed a one-year cope with the Dodgers final February, it regarded prefer it may have marked the beginning of a goodbye tour. The left-hander would take yet another journey across the league, then settle right into a rocking chair and watch for the Corridor of Fame to name.
As an alternative, Kershaw has proven flashes of the pitcher who received three Cy Younger Awards in 4 seasons, although now he will get by on guile and guts greater than curveballs and sliders. On Sunday, nevertheless, he was undone by his protection in a 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
It was the Dodgers’ third loss in as many video games for the reason that All-Star break and tenth in a dozen video games total, the staff’s worst 12-game hunch since 2018.
And the losses hold mounting in different methods as properly, with Freddie Freeman sustaining a left wrist contusion after being hit by a José Quintana pitch within the sixth inning. Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated X-rays on Freeman’s wrist have been detrimental and the primary baseman is taken into account daily.
Freeman is amongst the Dodgers’ leaders in batting common (.292) and is third in runs (47) and hits (95). With the staff already lacking third baseman Max Muncy and utility participant Kiké Hernández, the potential of shedding Freeman for any stretch can be a big blow.
The sport ended with the slumping Mookie Betts lining out to heart subject with the bases loaded.
The Dodgers’ rotation has additionally been battered by harm, which is why Kershaw’s performances have been so essential. Regardless of lacking the primary seven weeks of the season, he ranks third on the staff with 11 begins and has given up two or fewer earned runs in eight of them — together with Sunday, when he scattered 5 hits over 4 1/3 innings, exiting the sport with the rating tied 3-3 within the fifth.
Dodgers beginning pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers within the first inning Sunday in opposition to the Brewers.
(Mark J. Terrill / Related Press)
Kershaw, who left with no choice, would have pitched longer had a throwing error by third baseman Tommy Edman and a misplayed fly ball by heart fielder Andy Pages not prolonged the Brewers’ fourth inning twice, forcing Kershaw to throw 29 pitches within the inning. And he battled to get that far, working with a fastball that hardly ever topped 90 mph and a curve he bounced to the plate greater than as soon as.
“It just speaks to the guy,” Roberts stated earlier than the sport. “Even when he doesn’t have his best on that particular day, he does what’s called of him each time out.”
“He has adjusted, as far as using his whole pitch mix more,” Roberts continued. “He’s incorporating a lot more pitches and trying to keep guys more off a particular set, attacking guys differently.”
The Dodgers (58-42) gave Kershaw an early lead with a three-run third. Pages led with a double to left, then scored on a line-drive sacrifice fly by Dalton Speeding. After Betts adopted with a single, Shohei Ohtani sliced a 2-0 sinker over the left-field wall for league-leading his thirty fourth dwelling run.
The protection gave all three runs again within the fourth with a two-out throwing error by Edman letting in a run and Pages misplaying a ball that bounced off his glove close to the warning observe in heart for a tying double.
Esteury Ruiz’s first dwelling run for the Dodgers put them again in entrance within the fifth, however the Brewers (59-40) went in entrance to remain in sixth, scoring 3 times off relievers Alex Vesia and Lou Trivino (3-1) on a double, three singles and a stroll.
The Dodgers’ bullpen earned-run common of 4.38 ranks twelfth within the 15-team Nationwide League. The staff hasn’t gotten a scoreless sport from its bullpen since July 3.
After Speeding’s bases-loaded infield single pulled the Dodgers to inside a run within the ninth, Betts, who was elevated to the leadoff spot within the order in an effort to finish a hunch that had seen him begin July hitting .174 with as many strikeouts as hits, lined out to heart. He completed one for 5, dropping his common to .240.
Notes: Pitchers Blake Snell and Blake Treinen made rehab appearances for triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis on Sunday. Snell, who has been on the injured listing since April 6 due to left shoulder irritation, made 58 pitchers over 4 innings, giving up a run on 4 hits whereas placing out six. It was his third rehab look. Treinen, out since April 19 with a forearm pressure, adopted with an ideal fifth inning wherein he struck out two. He may return to the Dodgers’ roster this week.
