LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw has pitched 18 seasons in a career that has him on course for Cooperstown. He’s won Cy Youngs, ERA titles and an MVP. He’s struck out more than 3,000 hitters and is currently chasing a third World Series ring, before he retires at season’s end.
If this was Kershaw’s last time on a mound, he might just have capped his illustrious career with the most important out he’s ever recorded.
Game 3 of the World Series was an instant classic -- a 6-5 Dodgers victory in 18 innings on Monday night at Dodger Stadium, giving Los Angeles a 2-1 lead in the series.
On the whole, it was a brilliant performance from a much-maligned Dodgers bullpen, which recorded the final 40 outs of the game, while allowing only one run. The highest-leverage of those outs belonged to Kershaw.
In the top of the 12th, the Blue Jays loaded the bases against right-hander Emmet Sheehan. With Nathan Lukes due up -- and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looming on deck -- the game hung in the balance. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called for the lefty Kershaw to face the lefty-hitting Lukes.
“Just trying to come in, get one out,” Kershaw said. “Definitely something that I haven’t done a whole lot. But you just try to do your job and what’s asked of you. Thankful to get a little rollover there.”
Indeed, after an eight-pitch battle, Lukes bounced harmlessly to Tommy Edman at second base. The Blue Jays wouldn’t truly threaten again until they put two men aboard in the 18th.
Kershaw couldn’t recall ever having entered a game in extra innings. He couldn’t recall ever having entered a game with the bases loaded. He’s never done either of those things in the big leagues.
“It was a big out for us,” Kershaw said. “I thought it was going to be a bigger out, but we played like nine more innings.”
Six more, to be exact. Freddie Freeman launched a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning, moving Kershaw two wins shy of that third ring (and retirement).
All postseason, Kershaw has done his best to keep sentimentality at arm’s length. First and foremost, he has a job to do -- and, naturally, that was his mindset on Monday night.
“I’m not thinking about being done,” Kershaw said. “I just am trying to get that guy out. Yeah, after the fact? It’s a lot of fun to have success when you know you’re close [to retiring].”
Kershaw’s most recent outing came in Game 3 of the NLDS when he was roughed up by the Phillies. That would’ve been an unceremonious ending for perhaps the greatest pitcher of his generation. This? It would certainly feel a bit more storybook.
Then again, after the Dodgers bullpen worked 13 1/3 innings on Monday, Kershaw is currently one of the freshest arms of the group, making it significantly likelier that he’ll get more work in this World Series.
“I’ve got [at most] four more times to try and get ready,” Kershaw said with a smile. “And that’s a good feeling, too, honestly.”