The Clayton Kershaw magical history tour keeps going. At least for the next few weeks. On Tuesday night, Kershaw pitched another fantastic game, allowing one run to the Washington Nationals over eight innings. He struck out eight more batters.
More from Los Angeles Dodgers
- Shohei Ohtani trade rumors live tracker: Every update so far
- After frantic trade day, Kiké Hernandez grateful for second chance with Dodgers
- This White Sox-Dodgers trade for bullpen help could lead to LA reunion
- MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers reunite with familiar face in Red Sox deal
- MLB Rumors: Cardinals budging on Arenado, Orioles-Ohtani package, Yankees backup plan
Honestly, that has been an average night for Kershaw in 2014. In a season that saw him pitch a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts, causing some pundits to say it was the best game ever pitched, he still keeps impressing.
His 17 wins lead the major leagues. He has a microscopic 1.70 ERA and 0.83 WHIP. He has 202 strikeouts to just 25 walks. Oh, and he missed all of April and the first week of May with an injury. Where would his numbers be if not for that?
His eclipse of the 200 strikeout plateau again makes it the fifth straight season that he has done so. In fact, Kershaw became just the fourth player since 1893 to do that by the age of 26. The others? Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven, Walter Johnson, and Sam McDowell. That’s some pretty good company.
Kershaw’s numbers keep getting closer and closer to Bob Gibson‘s magical 1968 season. That year, Gibson had a ridiculous 1.12 ERA, and a 0.85 WHIP. Kershaw’s WHIP is already lower, and his ERA keeps dropping. He has allowed more than three runs, earned or otherwise, only once all year. He allowed seven runs to the Diamondbacks on May 17th. Since then? He has allowed just 21 runs in 18 starts.
Roger Clemens was the last starting pitcher to finish a season with an ERA under 2.00. Clemens had a 1.87 ERA for the Astros in 2005. The last person to have an ERA under 1.70 at season’s end was Greg Maddux, who posted a 1.63 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in 1995.
With the way Kershaw has pitched over the last three and a half months, he could get down to that level.