Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw to start game two of the NLDS

The Dodgers have been playing mind games with the Nationals by not announcing their game two starter. Today they broke the news.

For the Dodgers and the Nationals, the mind games started before game one as both managers declined to announce who would start game two.  The Dodgers announced their starter for game two prior to Thursday’s game one of the NLDS and it will be Clayton Kershaw.  The Nationals will likely wait until after game one to announce their starter.

Thursday afternoon, Kershaw was seen going through his dry drills in the Dodger bullpen which was a telltale sign that he would likely start game two.  Shortly after that, it was officially announced that Clayton would indeed take the ball in game two.

Clayton Kershaw will start game two of the NLDS for the second consecutive season.  Last year it was Hyun-Jin Ryu who got the ball in game one and this year it will be Walker Buehler.  Kershaw will look to get his postseason off to a strong start and try to quiet all the talk about his postseason struggles.

In the 2018 NLDS, Kershaw pitched eight shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves while allowing just two hits. In the 2016 and 2017 NLDS, Kershaw struggled posting ERA’s of 5.84 and 5.68.  Overall for his career, Kersh has a 5-3 record and an ERA of 3.72 in 11 NLDS starts.  He has one relief appearance which of course came against the Nationals in game five of the 2016 NLDS.

By starting game two, Clayton Kershaw will be in line to make another relief appearance in game five if the series goes the distance.  Hyun-Jin Ryu would not be a candidate to pitch in relief on short rest which made Kershaw the best option for game two.

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This season, Clayton Kershaw posted a 10-2 record at Dodger Stadium with a 2.89 ERA.  Interestingly enough, Kershaw’s road ERA was higher at 3.21 although he allowed a lower opposing average on the road at .195 compared to a .241 average at home.

This will be Kershaw’s second start against the Washington Nationals this season after allowing two runs in six innings back on July 27th.  He will oppose Stephen Strasburg in game two as the Nationals have announced Strasburg as their game two starter.

The Dodgers could have gone with any rotation order this season as the club has three above-average starting pitching options.  While the Nationals are getting all the national attention with their rotation, the Dodgers’ had the lowest starting pitcher ERA of any NL team this season.

Hyun-Jin Ryu will start the first road game of the series on Sunday night and if the series sees the fourth game then Rich Hill will take the mound.  Hopefully, Clayton Kershaw will be looking to put the Dodgers up two games to none on Friday night.