Clayton Kershaw's comments put Dodgers' struggles in perspective despite hysteria

Times have been a bit turbulent recently for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Many feel the club should be running away with the NL West, but a 15-16 record since the All-Star break has the San Diego Padres breathing right down their neck, with the Dodgers nursing a slim one-game lead.

There have been embarrassing moments, like the August 11-13 sweep at the hands of their lowly crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Angels, marking the second time this year the Angels put their big boy pants on and swept Los Angeles' premium team.

One would have thought that after taking last weekend's series against the Padres in a sweep, when San Diego beat themselves due to a slew of unforced errors, it would serve as the catalyst for a Dodgers' run heading into a four-game set against the hapless Rockies. Instead, LA managed only to split the series, with several players drawing manager Dave Roberts' ire as the lineup struggled to hit the fastball and superstar Shohei Ohtani got beat up on the mound.

With a rematch against the Padres on deck, one would think that perhaps it's time for the Dodgers to panic. But those fears are misguided if you ask Clayton Kershaw.

Clayton Kershaw is the voice of reason amid the Dodgers' current struggles

When a future Hall of Famer speaks, we'd be wise to listen. Kershaw put up a respectable performance against the Rockies, leading the Dodgers to a 9-5 victory in the finale. He also had a hilarious moment where he spiked a pitch to avoid a pitch clock violation.

Moreover, he had an important message for the team and fans following the game. In speaking with Sportsnet LA, Kershaw said, “You want to win every game you play, obviously. But, you know, at the end of the day I think, depending on what happens in their (Padres’) game, we’re two up going in, So, feel good about that.” The Dodgers are one up, but you get the point.

Kershaw highlights an important point here. if the Dodgers take care of business against San Diego, they'll have nothing to worry about. The most important thing for the team is to worry about what's in their control and work to get healthy.

Injuries have been a consistent bugaboo for the Dodgers all season. While big names like Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have worked their way back, the team is still without Roki Sasaki as well as infielders Hyeseong Kim, Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernandez, and Max Muncy.

Kim and Hernandez have already begun their rehab assignments, while Edman is expected back in September. Muncy's timeline is less clear, but he's also expected back by season's end. As for Sasaki, the 23-year-old is progressing to return to action, though his ultimate role for the rest of the season is up in the air.

It's nice to see Roberts hold players accountable, but as Kershaw indicated, this is a talented club that can take care of business as long as they focus on themselves and get healthy.