Clayton Kershaw will start Game 4 of the National League Division Series for the Dodgers, the club announced Monday. Kershaw, who was the losing pitcher in Game 1 on Friday, was one of two candidates to start the game along with left-hander Alex Wood.
It’s the third straight year that Kershaw has started an NLDS Game 4 on short rest. Kershaw didn’t factor into the decision in 2013, when the Dodgers played the Atlanta Braves needing one win to clinch the series. He needed 91 pitches to get through six innings, allowed only two unearned runs, and the Dodgers staged a late-inning rally to eliminate the Braves.
In 2014, Kershaw cruised through six shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals before running into trouble in the seventh. On his 102nd and final pitch, Matt Adams clubbed a three-run home run off Kershaw to send the Cardinals to a series-clinching victory.
Kershaw threw 113 pitches in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, a 3-1 Mets victory. David Wright‘s two-run single off reliever Pedro Baez made the difference in that game. Both runs were charged to Kershaw, who was charged with his fifth consecutive postseason loss.
Kershaw went 16-7 with a 2.13 ERA in the regular season. He led the major leagues in innings pitched and strikeouts.
Asked Monday if he had a preference about who should start for the Dodgers, Mets manager Terry Collins said “Yeah I would have a preference!”
“This is no slap against Alex Wood. He’s a fine pitcher, but I don’t want that other monster on the mound.”
Rookie left-hander Steven Matz will start for the Mets.