After 31 postseason starts, Kershaw 'more grateful' than ever

LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw finds himself in a familiar spot. For the 32nd time in his career, he’s being handed the ball for a playoff start -- “a full season now in the postseason,” as the veteran put it.

Kershaw was a 20-year-old rookie when he made his postseason debut, a scoreless 1 2/3-inning relief appearance against the Phillies in Game 2 of the 2008 National League Championship Series. At age 35, as he prepares for Game 1 of the NL Division Series tonight vs. the D-backs, he’s not the same pitcher he was then.

Due to a combination of age and a now-lengthy history of injuries -- including a left shoulder issue that’s still lingering -- his velocity has diminished, forcing him to adapt his approach (to quite a bit of success thus far).

His mental perspective has shifted substantially as well.

“I think at times maybe in the past, I had a fear of failure and didn't want to go out there and fail,” said Kershaw. “I think now, it's just a lot more positive. It's just, the nerves are from an excitement to get to pitch in the playoffs, to get to be a part of it, to be in this moment that a lot of people in the game don't get to be in. I think that's where the nerves come from now. And I think that's a better place.”

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Kershaw has had his well-documented ups and downs in October. Whereas his 2.48 career regular-season ERA is the best among all AL/NL pitchers with at least 1,500 innings pitched in the Live Ball Era (since 1920), he has a 4.22 ERA in 194 postseason innings.

There have been plenty of highs, including the strong run he put together en route to the 2020 World Series championship, helping the Dodgers break a 32-year title drought. But it’s the lows from which Kershaw has learned the most.

“I think when you get beat down enough, you start saying, ‘Screw it,’” Kershaw said. “And I think that's kind of what happened over the years. … You've just got to go out there and play and pitch. It doesn't mean it's always going to go great. But I think the mindset can definitely help with that. Just comes with experience. And thankfully for me, I've gotten to do it a lot and gotten a little bit better at it over the years.”

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That experience has made for quite a legacy for Kershaw, whose extensive list of accolades have him in line for a likely first-ballot Hall of Fame election. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman called Kershaw “the greatest competitor I’ve ever seen.” Manager Dave Roberts described him as “the pillar of consistency, of compete, of success and professionalism,” and praised the influence he’s had on the team’s rookie pitchers through the example he sets.

Perhaps most importantly, Kershaw’s presence instills confidence in his teammates.

“When No. 22 is on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers, you feel good about it,” said Freddie Freeman.

The question at this point is just how many more times we’ll see Kershaw on the mound, in a Dodgers uniform or otherwise. The left-hander isn’t ready to share any kind of decision about his future, for 2024 or beyond, but he’s mulled retirement for each of the past couple of years, giving reason to believe that this postseason could be a last hurrah for him.

If that’s the case, Kershaw is hopeful he can set the tone for a deep run as the Dodgers’ staff ace. But he’s also trying to enjoy the moment. After all, being in this position wasn’t a given for him -- and he’s not taking it for granted.

“I think for the past however many years, to get to be in the postseason, I've become more grateful for it,” said Kershaw. “And I think at the end of the day, I just look at some of the things that have happened and the things that I've gotten to be a part of -- and not all has been positive, obviously, but I wouldn't change it. I'd much rather fail on the biggest of stages than not to get to be here at all.

“It's a special thing to get to be in the postseason.”