Clayton Kershaw is still the heartbeat the Dodgers lean on, even as the season tests every veteran edge in his 18th big-league summer. On a night when Los Angeles needed steadiness against a Padres squad hungry to reclaim first place, Kershaw delivered a performance that felt almost timeless.
The Dodgers survived a tense opener to beat San Diego 3-2, with Kershaw going six innings, allowing two hits and one run. He bumped his record to 7-2 and dropped his ERA to 3.01, a reminder that, at 37, he remains a critical piece of Los Angeles’ postseason plans.
Manager Dave Roberts summed it up after the game: the right man was on the mound, and what Kershaw did went beyond the box score—his competitive spirit and execution set a tone for the rest of the series. It wasn’t just about six innings of one-run ball; it was about re-establishing stability when the Dodgers most needed it.
This season has been a roller coaster for the Dodgers, who had fallen to a 12-21 stretch since July 4 and watched the Padres seize ground in the standings. The opener’s result, a narrow victory, pulled the Dodgers back into a tie for first, with six more meetings against San Diego on the horizon in the near term.
Kershaw’s night included some craft and poise parallel to the team’s efforts elsewhere. He navigated a lineup that had been amped up for big moments, with defensive plays from Alex Freeland and Freddie Freeman and an eighth-inning treatment of Manny Machado that kept the Padres quiet. A rare hiccup came on a hanging curve that Ramón Laureano turned into a 400-foot shot, but otherwise Kershaw’s mix of movement, control, and portraying toughness stood tall.
The game carried the air of a turning point. Kershaw reminded everyone why he’s built for the big moments, and Teoscar Hernández’s seventh-inning homer proved decisive, giving the Dodgers a lead they didn’t surrender despite a late Padres push. Afterward, Kershaw downplayed the drama of his exit after 76 pitches, a move Roberts justified as a prudent step to protect the veteran for October.
There’s little mystery in this Dodgers stretch: when Kershaw starts, the team plays with a sharper edge. Roberts has observed that Kershaw elevates the focus and effort around him, a dynamic the club hopes to carry through a crucial period on the calendar.
What this means going forward is simple yet meaningful. The Dodgers are banking on Kershaw’s durability and performance to anchor a rotation that spots them a path toward the postseason. If he can continue delivering six innings of one-run ball and help the bullpen handle the late-game tasks, Los Angeles will gain momentum in a crowded division race.
Notes for editors:
– Final score: Dodgers 3, Padres 2.
– Kershaw: six innings, two hits, one run; 7-2 record; ERA 3.01.
– Key moments: Teoscar Hernández seventh-inning homer; Blake Treinen eighth-inning activity; Laureano’s 400-foot homer off a hanging curve.
– Dodgers had fallen into a 12-21 skid since July 4 but tied for first after this win; six remaining meetings with San Diego in the near term.
– Strategic angle: team management emphasizing protecting Kershaw for October while leveraging his veteran leadership to spark immediate improvement.
A hopeful takeaway: this game reinforced that the Dodgers still have a veteran anchor who can steady the ship when the seas are rough. If Kershaw continues to deliver and the rest of the rotation and lineup buy into the approach, Los Angeles can ride this momentum into a pivotal stretch run with confidence.