Why Dave Roberts pulled Clayton Kershaw in a perfect game, explained
By Mark Powell
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled Clayton Kershaw just two innings away from a perfect game. Here’s why:
Baseball fans were furious at Roberts, and it’s easy to understand why. Just two innings away from a historic debut to his 2022 season, Kershaw sat at just 80 pitches. He’d throw zero high-stress innings in his debut.
However, Roberts’ argument is sure to be the long play, and while it may anger older baseball fans, it does make some sense. Whether it’s good for the game is another argument altogether.
Kershaw is coming off a significant injury, as he was forced to miss the postseason with elbow and forearm discomfort. There was no ligament damage in his elbow, so he didn’t have to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Despite all of this, Kershaw was ready to go to start the 2022 regular season — but clearly on a revised pitch count for now. Even with history at play, Roberts wasn’t willing to take any chances.
If it's a no-hitter, whatever. Yank him. Clayton Kershaw has thrown one.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 13, 2022
But there have been more than 220,000 games in MLB history. There have been 23 perfect games.
Everything -- especially a pitch count of 80 -- is lining up to at least let Kershaw try. You cannot pull him.
The MLB lockout forced a shorter spring training, and therefore less time for pitchers to prepare for the season. There have been more pitching-related injuries to begin this season than in years past, and it’s easy to understand why.
Clayton Kershaw perfect game
Kershaw had never thrown a perfect game. The closest he’d been was in 2014, when Hanley Ramirez ruined that chance with an error in the seventh inning. He still finished off the Rockies, throwing a no-hitter. But a chance at further history was taken away from him by a teammate.
This time, it was his own manager’s turn. Robert is sure to get plenty of heat for his decision-making.
How many perfect games in MLB history?
There have been only 23 perfect games in MLB history. Kershaw could’ve had the 24th all to himself, but instead he had to watch from the dugout as his teammates tried to complete the historic achievement.
Dave Roberts: Why did Dodgers pull Clayton Kershaw?
Injury history and a revised pitch count, most likely. Fans won’t like it, but the season is 162 games. Roberts believed he couldn’t afford to take such a chance with Kershaw, despite the fact that he was so close to another incredible feat in what’s been a Hall-of-Fame career.
We’ll have more on this story later.