Clayton Kershaw was named the National League pitcher of the month for the second straight month. (John McCoy/Staff photographer)
Call it “The Summer of Kershaw.”
Clayton Kershaw picked up his second consecutive National League Pitcher of the Month award on Monday, having also won the honor in June.
In five outings last month, Kershaw was 4-0 with a N.L.-best 1.07 ERA. He completed three of the five games, tied for first in the N.L. in wins, and posted the second-lowest opponents’ batting average (.165) among qualifying N.L. pitchers. Kershaw fanned 43 during the month, which was good for fourth in the Senior Circuit, while walking only four.
Burt Hooton was the last Dodgers pitcher to win the Pitcher of the Month award in consecutive months, in August and September 1975. Don Sutton also pulled the feat in April and May of 1975.
This is Kershaw’s fourth career Pitcher of the Month Award, having won previously for July 2011, July 2013 and June 2014.