Clayton Kershaw biographer reveals pitcher’s most frustrating playoff loss
Mar 4, 2020; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) looks on prior to a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Clayton Kershaw has become notorious for coming up short in the playoffs, fairly or not. The author of a new book about the Los Angeles Dodgers ace thinks there is one playoff failure that frustrates Kershaw more than the others.
The Athletic’s Andy McCullough, the author of a new book about Kershaw’s career, appeared on the “Foul Territory” podcast and discussed Kershaw’s playoff history. According to McCullough, there is one series that frustrates Kershaw more than any other: the 2017 World Series loss to the Houston Astros.
"In 2017, we all know what happened with the Astros…that's the one that causes him the most frustration"@ByMcCullough on the true story of "Playoff Kershaw"
▶️ https://t.co/QEeYosgSf6 pic.twitter.com/I1fQIC7OmB— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 8, 2024
“In 2017, we all know what happened there with the Astros. That’s the one that causes him, still, the most frustration,” McCullough said.
Kershaw has some reason to be bitter over the experience, particularly his outing in Game 5 in Houston. The 2017 Astros were found to have illegally stolen signs for much of the regular season, casting many of their accomplishments into doubt. MLB’s investigation found no evidence that they used the system during the postseason, but there has been plenty of skepticism about that finding.
Kershaw pitched a seven-inning gem in Game 1 of that series in Los Angeles, striking out 11 in a victory. The big flashpoint was Game 5, in which Kershaw was staked to a 4-0 lead in Houston before running into trouble in the fourth and giving up a game-tying three-run home run to Yuli Gurriel. The Dodgers immediately went back ahead 7-4 on a Cody Bellinger home run, but Kershaw issued back-to-back two-out walks in the next inning and was then pulled. Kenta Maeda, his replacement, gave up another game-tying three-run home run, this time to Jose Altuve, leaving Kershaw with a line of six earned runs allowed in 4.2 innings. Houston went on to win that game 13-12 in 10 innings.
It certainly sounds like Kershaw thinks the Astros’ cheating may have cost him that game, and subsequently the series. He and the Dodgers certainly were not the only team that felt that way.