Was That Clayton's Final Game?
The real answer is “We do not know and may not know for a long time… maybe years! ” Years? Yes, it could be a couple of years. Could be! If Clayton needs Tommy John Surgery… as I suspect he does, he could decide to take a couple of years off for the surgery and recovery. He…
The real answer is “We do not know and may not know for a long time… maybe years!” Years? Yes, it could be a couple of years. Could be! If Clayton needs Tommy John Surgery… as I suspect he does, he could decide to take a couple of years off for the surgery and recovery. He could rehab and spend time with his young family. He could take his time and miss 2022 and 2023…. coming back in 2024, maybe as the Opening Day Starter! He would be 36 (younger than Max Scherzer is now) and likely re-acquire a 95 to 96 MPH fastball and be able to pitch into his 40’s. That is the best-case scenario!
Clayton’s velocity has been dropping over the past several years as his ulnar collateral ligament has frayed. Forearm tightness and soreness is an indicator that the UCL is tearing or fraying. I have felt for quite some time that was what was happening with Clayton. The worst-case scenario (at least for Dodger fans) is that Clayton decides against surgery and retires. That happens to be a very strong possibility, especially with his family situation. How hot does his fire still burn? If it is intense, he will be back, but maybe he is done.
Juan Toribio of Dodgers.com said Kershaw said that once he threw the last slider to Wong in the second inning, he knew that he had thrown his last pitch of the night. The left-hander, who will undergo further testing on Saturday, also made it sound like his season will be over. He provided this quote from Clayton:
“It’s a tough blow, obviously. Kinda the same thing I’ve been dealing with and [it] just got bad enough to where I couldn’t keep going tonight. Haven’t quite wrapped my head around that yet. The biggest thing was I just wanted to be a part of this team through October. That’s the hardest part for me right now, just knowing that chances are that it’s not looking good for October right now. … I’m excited for these guys to do what they’re gonna do in October.”
After the game Clayton said this:
“My future is going to take care of itself. I’m not really worried about that right now. I really wanted to be a part of the moment right now and I wanted to be with this group through October. That was my only focus this whole year once I got hurt, it was to come back and make it up for this month. As far as anything else goes, I haven’t wrapped my head around it and I don’t plan to anytime soon.”
You saw the ovation that Dodger Stadium gave Clayton and then you saw Clayton’s Teammates pick him up and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in dramatic fashion. It looks like the Dodgers have literally “flipped the switch” and are now in “Beast Mode.”
We might as well accept that Clayton is done for the season… maybe his career is done, but I am sure that Clayton and the Dodgers could work out a personal services contract for a couple of years… maybe just 2022, and 2023, with him returning in 2024. No rush – make sure the arm is back to full strength. This is all conjecture and I am not a doctor, but having been through a torn UCL, I have a pretty good idea how it feels. I never had surgery and it took almost 10 years before I could throw a baseball more than 30 feet. Now, I can probably throw one 70 to 80 feet without pain. It happened to me in my early 40’s. I saw no reason to have it fixed and it does not bother me in the least. I just can’t throw too far.
I am sure that Clayton will do what is best for him and his family and if he does not have surgery in the next couple of weeks, I think we will know what his answer is. It’s been a hell of a run, Big Guy and you were sure a joy to watch and a Class Act on top of it! We know that either way, you will be in the dugout rooting your team home. You carried this team for so long. Now it’s time for your boys to win one more for you!
If the Dodgers don’t catch the Giants (and it ain’t looking good), they will likely make history (with one more victory) by winning more games than any other defending World Series champ, and more wins than any other second-place team (in the divisional era). Is it possible that at the end of the season, the Dodgers could be #1 in the Power Poll even without the best record?
What can you say about Trea Turner? Two-HR and five RBI to absolutely destroy the Brewers? It would be amazing if the Dodgers could keep both Seager and Turner for the foreseeable future!
Dodger Stuff
- I am against Julio Urias pitching tonight, but I guess you have to give him a shot at 20 wins. I think the Dodgers can beat up on Corbin Burnes! They eat right-handers for lunch… lefties for dinner!
- Tony Gonsolin now become part of the playoff rotation and they don’t need a 5th Starter.
- Don’t be surprised if Mitch White and Victor Gonzalez are on the playoff roster.
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Discussion (92)
Disagree, not disagreeable
DODGERS RECALL MITCH WHITE
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled right-handed pitcher Mitch White and placed left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw on the 10-day injured list with left forearm discomfort.
White, 26, returns for his 10th stint with the team and he is 1-3 with a 3.74 ERA (19 ER/45.2 IP) and 48 strikeouts in 20 games for the Dodgers. He has spent parts of the season with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga and Triple-A Oklahoma City, going a combined 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA (8 ER/43.2 IP) and 53 strikeouts in 10 games. In 10 games at the Triple-A level, he is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA (6 ER/32.0 IP) and 39 strikeouts. The former second rounder out of Santa Clara University is 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA (19 ER/48.2 IP) in 22 career MLB games.
Kershaw, 33, started last night, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing three runs with one strikeout. This is his second stint on the injured list this season, missing 57 games from August 9 through September 13. On the season, he is 10-8 with a 3.55 ERA (48 ER/121.2 IP) with 144 strikeouts. The three-time Cy Young award winner has been with the Dodgers since being drafted as the seventh overall selection in the 2006 First Year Player Draft out of Highland Park High School and is 185-84 with a 2.49 ERA (679 ER/2454.2 IP) and 2,670 strikeouts.
Things are looking interesting. Postseason starts today for the Dodgers. today is a win or die game. and the successive ones too. I like this adrenaline
We’ll see how our offense matches up against Burnes. A true playoff test for them. Tho I don’t see Brewers letting him go more than 5 innings like Woodford the other day. Julio needs to be playoff good tonight! It would be a huge 20 th game win for him and the team tonight! Get us to game 162!
If Corbin Burnes dominates us tonight, it could get him the Cy Young Award.
His numbers are great
We’re going to 162!!!!!! What a time to put it all together! The offense has finally awoke!!!!! Epic stretch run! Whatever happens tomorrow this team is ready to defend their title!
Buehler starting tomorrow.
Julio did his part! He has now evolved into that co ace with Buehler! What a statement year for the young man!!! And last year so many were trying to push him into the pen and now he’s a top 5 Cy Young candidate!
The Padres are starting someone named Reiss Knehr tomorrow….
You MUST be thinking of pulling Urias soon. To avoid the bullpen game possibly coinciding with the Wildcard, right?
Well Seager is ready for October! Right now he could play shortstop left handed and I’d be happy. I don’t think there’s any more discussion of who you’d rather sign between him and Bellinger. Got to resign him!!!!!
So if Buehler starts tomorrow, and then Scherzer Monday for Game 163, who starts a potential Wild Card Game on Wednesday? Gonsolin and everybody else??
Cy Urias gonna get 20
Giants exercising the team sphincter muscle tomorrow all day long.
Mitch White looks beefed up.
Price just might be left off of the playoff roster.
Alll games will start at the same time, tomorrow. 2.10 pm in México
12.00 LA. 15.10 NY. Hope Padres make their job well
Clayton first to greet Julio when he came off the field. Glad Albert got vaccinated with all the HR hugs he is giving out these days.
This team has a habit of consistently reminding me to never count them out and why they’re so lovable. After the Bay series letdown, I wanted to skip a few Buehler and Urias starts so they’d be fresher for the playoffs. Still up in the air if that would have been the better strategy, but both guys are coming off positive starts so what do I know.
As for tomorrow, I can’t shake my cautious nature. I’d do the bullpen game tomorrow and save Buehler/Scherzer for 163 and the Cards game. IMO the wild card game is the most important since it’s win or go home, and the nightmare scenario where neither Buehler or Scherzer can pitch and Urias is on 3 day rest would be regretful. The offense is hot, scoring 8 or more runs in the last 4 games and will be working against the Brewers bullpen, so I think we can score enough to hold on. Hopefully, it’s another what do I know and the Dodgers get their 8 runs by the 5th inning and we can safely pull Buehler.