July 31, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22 years old) pitches during the first inning of the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports Los Angeles Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw will once again try to find his best form Tuesday against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.
Kershaw has made two starts since returning from offseason shoulder surgery. He allowed two runs in four innings against the San Francisco Giants on July 25, then allowed seven runs (3 ERA) in 3 2/3 innings in Wednesday’s loss to the San Diego Padres. point).
Another concern is that Kershaw (0-1, 5.87 ERA) did not strike out among the 21 San Diego batters he faced. It was the first time in 424 regular season starts in 17 seasons that he failed to strike out.
“It just didn’t execute,” said Kershaw, who insisted there was nothing physically wrong. “Not throwing anything that I really wanted to throw, where I wanted to throw it. Overall, frustrating.”
Even though Kershaw struggled with shoulder discomfort last season, he still went 13-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 24 regular-season starts. The Dodgers still considered the result a lead.
“I think it’s hard to bet on Clayton,” Los Angeles head coach Dave Roberts said. “… (His current state) is part of the process.”
Maybe Kershaw can rely on his record against the National League’s best Phillies team. He has started 16 career regular season games against Philadelphia and has a 2.76 ERA and a 4-6 record.
Looking to attack the Phillies, the Dodgers carried the National League’s second-best record into Monday’s series opener, winning 5-3.
The win included home runs by Teosco Hernandez and Shohei Ohtani, and the return of Freddie Freeman, who was on a ventilator after his 3-year-old son fell ill and was briefly on a ventilator. Missed 8 games during this period.
Freeman went 1-for-4 in his return and earned a standing ovation before his first at-bat.
“I really can’t thank the fans enough. I really can’t,” Freeman said.
The Phillies will send left-hander Christopher Sanchez (7-7, 3.36 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday. Sanchez, a first-time All-Star this season, gave up six runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday.
In five games in July, Sanchez went 1-4 with a 6.59 ERA, but one of those wins came against the Dodgers on July 10 in Philadelphia. In his only career start against Los Angeles, he gave up two runs on five hits in six innings.
With the Phillies losing seven of their last eight games, their lead at the top of the NL has been cut to half a game by the Dodgers.
The Phillies gave up hits to all three Dodgers relievers in the final three innings Monday but went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. They’re just 4-12 since the All-Star break, a far cry from the team that swept Los Angeles in a three-game home series last month.
“I think we’re struggling right now. I think we’re just in a panic,” Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos said. “But I will say, our dugout was very good (Monday). All our focus was on the field … and we competed. It was a good baseball game. Here’s Something, something there, it changes.
–Scene-level media
