Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer will endlessly be tied collectively. Together with Justin Verlander, the three comprise a straightforward and apparent elite tier for the era of pitchers whose prime ran via the 2010s. Scherzer and Kershaw each debuted in 2008. They’re tied collectively in a enjoyable little trivia query, too, which is {that a} pair of Corridor of Famers had been scratched from a scheduled head-to-head begin to make manner for a pair of rookies.
It was Sept. 7, 2008, when Randy Johnson of the Diamondbacks was presupposed to sq. off towards Greg Maddux of the Dodgers, however as a substitute the 2 groups modified course earlier than the sport and went with Scherzer vs. Kershaw as a substitute. That was the primary time they confronted off.
Friday night time, the 2 future Corridor of Famers may need gone head-to-head for the final time when Scherzer’s Blue Jays visited Kershaw’s Dodgers in an eventual 5-1 Dodgers win (Kershaw received the win and Scherzer took the loss).
Dodgers catcher Will Smith remains one of MLB’s most underrated stars, even in the best season of his career
Dayn Perry
Whereas it wasn’t actually “one of many ages” or something that wanted additional superlatives hooked up, it was a pleasure. Each guys are clearly previous their prime, but in addition have a bit bit left within the tank. They do not actually overpower hitters anymore, however they had been each college students of the craft for therefore lengthy that they’ve sufficient pitching know-how to carve up good offenses for innings at a time. We noticed it Friday.
We noticed Kershaw get a 1-2-3 first inning towards among the finest offenses in baseball. Scherzer allowed two singles to begin the underside of the primary, however was in a position to escape unscathed, getting massive strikeouts of Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández. The Blue Jays would rally for a run within the second and a line-drive double play helped Kershaw wiggle out of a bases-loaded jam. Neither would actually get in a lot hassle thereafter till the fifth, when, with two outs, Scherzer gave up a double to Shohei Ohtani and residential run to Mookie Betts.
The ultimate traces had been as follows.
Kershaw (W): 6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 Ok
Scherzer (L): 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 Ok
To reiterate, we will not precisely name both outing dominant, however these are high quality begins. Think about the competitors, too. Coming into this sport, the Dodgers led the majors in runs scored whereas the Blue Jays had been fifth. The Dodgers had been second in OPS and the Blue Jays had been third.
That is why it was a pleasure.
Kershaw is 37 years previous with over 2,800 regular-season innings and nearly 200 playoff innings of mileage on that left arm. He seemed like a frontline starter towards a top-shelf offense. Scherzer is 41 years previous with over 2,900 regular-season innings and 143 playoff innings of wear and tear on that sturdy proper arm and he seemed fairly darn good, a lot of the night time, towards arguably one of the best offense in baseball.
Probably the most enjoyable half was, after all, that we received to look at a full six innings of baseball with two Corridor of Famers buying and selling pitches.
This was the fourth regular-season sport between these two. The primary three:
- The aforementioned Sept. 7, 2008 bout. Kershaw gave up three runs on six hits in 4 innings. He was a rookie and never Cheat Code Kershaw we might quickly see. Scherzer provided up a more in-depth glimpse to his prime self, hanging out 11, although he gave up three runs on 5 hits in 5 innings. Neither figured within the choice in a 5-3 Dodgers win.
- They would not go head-to-head once more till April 20, 2018. By that point, the duo had mixed for six Cy Youngs. Scherzer would solely surrender one run on 4 hits in six innings, grabbing the win, whereas Kershaw allowed 4 runs on 9 hits in seven innings in a 5-2 Nationals win.
- Then got here April 11, 2021. Scherzer was nonetheless with the Nationals, although each gamers — little did anybody know on the time — would end the season with the Dodgers. This time, Kershaw grabbed the win with six scoreless innings, hanging out six. Scherzer solely allowed one run on three hits, however the Dodgers prevailed 3-0.
Scherzer and Kershaw additionally appeared as opponents in the identical playoff sport 3 times, however solely as soon as did each begin. That got here in Recreation 1 of the 2016 NLDS. Kershaw gave up three runs on eight hits in 5 innings, however grabbed the win, because the Dodgers had been in a position to get Scherzer for 4 runs on 5 hits, together with two dwelling runs.
Apparently, this might properly have been a World Collection preview. The Dodgers are the reigning champions and sit in first place within the NL West whereas the Blue Jays are in first within the AL East. Would not or not it’s one thing if we noticed a Kershaw-Scherzer head-to-head within the World Collection for the primary time this yr?
These goals must wait. We will concentrate on the Friday night time bout. And it was very aesthetically pleasing earlier than we even dive into the historical past behind it.
When it comes to the stats, this matchup Friday night time was a uncommon one. Each pitchers have surpassed 3,000 strikeouts of their careers. Solely 20 pitchers in historical past have ever gotten to three,000 strikeouts and solely three are energetic — the opposite being Verlander, naturally. This was simply the fourth time in MLB historical past a pair of three,000-Ok pitchers squared off. Scherzer did so with Verlander on Sept. 6, 2023. The others had been Curt Schilling vs. Roger Clemens on Sept. 16, 2007 and Maddux vs. Clemens on July 19, 2006.
Solely 11 pitchers in historical past have ever gained at the least three Cy Youngs and these two pitchers are on that record.
When it comes to stature, we’re speaking about two inner-circle Corridor of Famers going through off once more. They carry the kind of title recognition the place you do not even want the stats. You simply hear “Kershaw” or “Scherzer” and all of it clicks into place, even for informal sports activities followers. They’re legends.
And Friday night time, we received to see them face off, possibly for the final time. They delivered.