There aren't many pitchers in this generation better than Clayton Kershaw.
His list of accomplishments and accolades will make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer after he retires. On Wednesday night, he accomplished the wrong kind of feat and snapped an all-time streak in Major League Baseball history.
Kershaw, in his start against the San Diego Padres, lasted only 3 2/3 innings. He gave up six hits and seven runs (three earned) and walked one. Most notably, he finished the outing without a strikeout.
Wednesday marked the first time in Kershaw's career that he started a regular season game and didn't record a strikeout according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.
ESPN's Alden Gonzalez noted the streak lasted a whopping 423 starts, which was the longest run of consecutive starts with at least one strikeout since 1983 when MLB moved the mound back to 60-feet-6-inches in 1983.
This is a significant step back for the Dodgers lefty in his second start since returning from the injured list. He's clearly not the pitcher he used to be, but Wednesday was a sign of just where Kershaw is at this point of the season. He won't be able to get outs consistently if he's not missing bats.
The good news for the Dodgers is Kershaw tallied six strikeouts in four innings in his 2024 debut against the Giants. San Francisco's team strikeout rate is in the middle of the pack. San Diego is the hardest team in baseball to strike out. This may have just been a bad matchup for this version of Kershaw. It's still a rough sign for the 36-year-old. His next start will be crucial in figuring out where he stands as the team approaches the postseason.
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