Just a week ago, it appeared as though Clayton Kershaw had put all of his postseason troubles behind him.
The Dodgers’ ace and one of the greatest regular season starting pitchers of his generation had always battled postseason struggles, but in Game 1 of the World Series, the southpaw tossed a gem against the Houston Astros, throwing seven innings of one-run ball to lead Los Angeles to victory.
Through the first three innings of his Game 5 start in Houston, Kershaw looked as if he would cruise to another win after the Dodgers provided him with four runs of early support. But in the fourth inning, Kershaw fell apart, and the demons that have haunted him throughout his career returned.
In 101 starts in which the Dodgers gave Kershaw at least four runs of support, they were 100-1. On Sunday night, they dropped to 100-2.
Kershaw allowed a pair of mammoth home runs that ultimately played a massive role in the Dodgers’ 13-12 loss, and on Tuesday morning, Giants’ broadcaster Mike Krukow joined Murph & Mac on KNBR to discuss Kershaw’s postseason legacy.
“But this game can be cruel, this game can be hard on you,” Krukow said. “And I know other guys that have gotten to the bright lights and haven’t been able to turn it on. And it just becomes part of your legacy and until he changes it, it’s going to dog him and not just when he’s a player, it’s going to dog him when he quits and it’s going to dog him his whole life. I can’t explain how he blows a four-run lead, even in that ballpark. I can’t explain how with a three-run lead, he walks two guys. I can’t explain that, and I don’t think he can either.”
Krukow was also asked why he thinks Kershaw is struggling during the postseason, and the Giants’ broadcaster said that he believes Kershaw isn’t the same type of physical specimen as he once was. Though the Dodgers’ ace turned in another outstanding regular season, Kershaw has scuffled in the playoffs and may not have another opportunity at redemption this season.
“He’s not the same guy stuff-wise,” Krukow said. “If you remember when he first came up he was kind of like Matt Cain. It was high fastballs, the high three-quarter release and that deceptive little dip where he would collapse backside that would get up on top of you and it wasn’t an easy pickup. But it was the curveball, he was a two-pitch guy and since he’s gotten to the big leagues, he’s learned two different types of fastballs and a cutter, which now is what he’s riding. He’s riding that cut. Every time his back goes up against the wall, you’re going to see that 89-to-91 mile per hour cut. I don’t think he’s physically the same guy. I don’t think he can physically do the same thing with the ball when he first came up to the big leagues. I just think time has eroded his stuff a bit, his back, that’s just how you would explain it. He’s just physically not the same specimen.”
To listen to Krukow’s full interview with Murph & Mac, click the podcast link below. To listen to Krukow’s comments on Kershaw, skip ahead to the 8:48 mark.