The shortest start of Clayton Kershaw’s career might solve a dilemma for the Dodgers.
Kershaw allowed four runs and threw 39 pitches in the first inning of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs and was pulled by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
“It just wasn’t good,” Kershaw said. “It’s embarrassing. No excuses. I was horrible.
“Obviously that’s Doc’s decision (to pull him after one inning). … Obviously, I would have liked to continue to go. But when you’re that bad, you really can’t stand up for yourself too much.”
After striking out Willson Contreras to start his day, the next six batters reached base against Kershaw, including a double by Kris Bryant, an RBI single by Anthony Rizzo and a three-run double by David Bote.
Along the way, Kershaw spiked breaking balls in the dirt well in front of home plate multiple times and managed to walk Javier Baez, who came into the game with 39 strikeouts and just one walk in his first 24 games this season.
“I could overanalyze it and try to think about it. But honestly, I have no idea. They were just horrible,” Kershaw said. “Everything was bad. So I’m not going to try to analyze it too much. Just hope this was an outlier and get ready for the next one.”
By pulling Kershaw so quickly, the Dodgers have created a potential solution for their shortage of starting pitching.
Before the game, Roberts said the Dodgers would likely resort to another “bullpen game” during the series in Anaheim (Friday or Saturday, most likely). Roberts would not say the possibility of starting Kershaw on Saturday was a factor in his decision to pull him after one inning. But Kershaw does now become a candidate to pitch on short rest on Saturday against the Angels.
“The short-rest conversation – we’ll have that conversation,” Roberts said. “We’ll decide in our opinion what is the best for Clayton and the Dodgers here in the next day or two. We’ll talk about it.”
MRI NEWS
Still reeling from the news that Dustin May will have to undergo Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers got some good news on another hard-throwing young right-hander.
Roberts said Brusdar Graterol underwent an MRI on his right arm on Tuesday morning which revealed no structural damage. Graterol started the season on the Injured List for unspecified reasons then went on the IL again after making just three appearances and experiencing soreness in his right forearm.
“The findings, or lack thereof, are good news,” Roberts said.
Graterol has not pitched since April 26 and has not been cleared to start a throwing program yet. There is no timetable for his return.
“We don’t know when he’ll pick up a baseball and play catch,” Roberts said Tuesday. “We just want to make sure the soreness, the uncomfortable-ness of the arm dissipates.”
RUIZ SWINGS
Catcher Keibert Ruiz was added to the active roster Tuesday, taking the spot cleared Monday when the Dodgers designated left-hander Mike Kickham for assignment.
Ruiz pinch-hit in the first game of the doubleheader and continued a tradition in his big-league career – he hit a home run on his first swing just as he did in his big-league debut last season.
“He’s not afraid. He gets in there and gets his swings off,” Roberts said.It’s uncertain how long Ruiz will remain with the Dodgers. But Roberts indicated the switch-hitter would likely be used more as a pinch-hitter than behind the plate. With Monday’s game rained out and three off days coming, the Dodgers’ front-line catchers, Will Smith and Austin Barnes, will already be getting enough downtime, Roberts said.
ALSO
Top pitching prospect Josiah Gray is scheduled to start the season-opening game Thursday for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Walker Buehler, 1-0, 3.16 ERA) at Cubs (RHP Jake Arrieta, 3-3, 4.31 ERA), Wednesday, 4:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, ESPN, 570 AM
"short" - Google News
May 05, 2021 at 10:05AM
https://ift.tt/3nMou0h
Clayton Kershaw’s ’embarrassing’ short start could aid Dodgers - OCRegister
"short" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2SLaFAJ
No comments:
Post a Comment