When the World Series begins Friday night at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers erstwhile ace Clayton Kershaw will be there, but only as a dugout hype man. Kershaw has been sidelined with a bone spur in his left big toe since Aug. 30. He threw in September and made an effort to rejoin the team for the postseason, but the toe didn't cooperate. Kershaw was shut down for 2024 on Oct. 5.
"It was getting pretty mentally exhausting to continue to try to pitch," Kershaw said after being shut down. "It just kept hurting, so I got another MRI. I made it worse (by trying to pitch), so there's no point at this point to keep going. It's unfortunate. Obviously, super frustrated. That's really it. It's not getting better, so I can't pitch."
Kershaw got hammered in his NLDS Game 1 start against the Diamondbacks last October (six runs, one out) and had shoulder surgery soon after the Dodgers lost the series. That surgery sidelined him until July 25, when he made his 2024 debut. Kershaw had a 4.50 ERA in seven regular-season starts this year. His last start was rough (three runs, one inning) as the toe began to act up.
This is Kershaw's fourth World Series and the first time he will not start Game 1, let alone not pitch in the series. He started the World Series opener against the Astros in 2017, the Red Sox in 2018, and the Rays in 2020. The 2017 and 2020 starts went very well. The 2018 Game 1 start not so much.
| IP | H | R | BB | K | HR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 Game 1 vs. Astros | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
2018 Game 1 vs. Red Sox | 4 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
2020 Game 1 vs. Rays | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
Now 36, Kershaw has already said he intends to play next season, though the Dodgers are in the World Series now, and may not be next year. This is the fourth time the Dodgers have been in the World Series in the last eight years, sure, but getting to the World Series is hard. There is no guarantee Kershaw will ever get the opportunity to pitch in the Fall Classic again.
The Dodgers could certainly could use another starter too. They have already used three bullpen games this postseason (NLDS Game 1 and NLCS Games 2 and 6) with at least one more planned in the World Series not because they want to, because they have to. They don't have a No. 4 starter. Kershaw is one of seven -- seven! -- Dodgers starters on the injured list.
Kershaw belongs to a generation of aces that has begun to age out as the sport's elite. He won't pitch this postseason because of the toe injury. Chris Sale was unable to pitch for the Braves in the NLDS because of a back issue. Justin Verlander was left off the Astros' ALDS roster entirely. Max Scherzer's and Jacob deGrom's Rangers missed the postseason.
Zack Greinke threw out the ceremonial first pitch in Kansas City prior to ALDS Game 4 between the Royals and Yankees two weeks ago. That's as close as the previous generation of aces has gotten to taking the mound this October.
Yu Darvish was terrific against the Dodgers in the NLDS (three runs in 13 2/3 innings) and Gerrit Cole is slated to start Game 1 of the World Series for the Yankees. Cole debuted later than Darvish, Kershaw, Verlander, et al, though he is in that "big-name starter in his mid-to-late 30s" group. He's the last remaining tie this postseason has to that previous generation of top-flight starters.
This postseason will be the first time without Greinke, Kershaw, Scherzer, or Verlander throwing a pitch since 2010. A changing of the guard is underway among MLB's ace pitcher ranks. Kershaw, Scherzer, and Verlander are giving way to Hunter Greene, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, and others, with Cole and Zack Wheeler serving as a bridge between eras.
Kershaw will be at the 2024 World Series but only as a spectator and teammate. Will he get a chance to pitch in the World Series again? Who knows, right? The Dodgers are very good, they are every year, but getting to the World Series isn't easy. Kershaw's toe injury took him out of play this October and the Dodgers will try to beat the Yankees with a makeshift rotation and bullpen games.
