Kershaw returns to the mound

Los Angeles, CA (News4usOnline) – Clayton Kershaw’s official return to the mound didn’t turn out the way he may have wanted to, but it was a return to the field nonetheless. 

After missing much of last season, Kershaw took to the mound against the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of a three-game series for the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Kershaw’s outing came with mixed results. The veteran left-hander and three-time Cy Young winner pitched four innings, gave up five hits, and, more importantly, surrendered five runs in an 11-9 defeat at the hands of the Dodgers’ crosstown rivals.   

“It was kind of a game that there are a lot of hits out there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said afterward. “We couldn’t put guys away. There were some, you know, some walks in there, some homers and doubles, and give credit to our offense to continue to fight, make it a game. But unfortunately, we just couldn’t make enough pitches.”

Overall, Kershaw came out with some obvious rust. Three of the five runs he surrendered came in the first inning when the Angels jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Kershaw managed to survive that onslaught to pitch well into the second inning. However, when Taylor Ward launched a deep home run off Kershaw in the third inning, the guardrails appeared to be coming off. 

Pitching for the first time since August 30, 2024, Kershaw looked shaky for the first couple of innings and was pulled after four innings of work. All in all, Kershaw threw 83 pitches, 48 of them strikes. Despite the early exit, Roberts was encouraged by what he saw from Kershaw. 

“I think that the stuff overall, I was impressed with,” said Roberts. “I thought the velocity was more than it’s been in quite some time. I thought at times the slider was good. There was some swing and miss early at times. At times, the curveball was good. He mixed in a lot of change-ups, which was good.” 

“I think tonight, the command just wasn’t consistent, and he got to a lot of two-strike counts, and couldn’t put hitters away where typically, that’s his hallmark, when he gets count leverage, he can get a strikeout. And tonight, he just couldn’t put guys away. And again, I just thought that, you know, the stuff overall, I was really excited about, but just the command, and that’s part of obviously, whether it’s adrenaline, emotions, not pitching in a big league game, all that stuff,” Roberts added. 

For his part, Kershaw also talked about having to be more consistent with his pitches going forward. 

“There were some good throws mixed in, but just not enough consistency. So, you

know, just look at it tomorrow, try to figure it out,” Kershaw stated.

Catcher Dalton Rushing put the onus on himself for Kershaw not having a successful night in his 2025 season debut. 

The Angels didn’t waste time getting to Kershaw, scoring three runs in the top half of the first inning. The Dodgers managed to give Kershaw some backup play when Andy Pages connected for a three-run home run in their half of the first.

The game was tied until the third inning when Ward took a Kershaw pitch and drove it to the left-field bleachers for a solo home run. And just like that, the Angels were back on top of the Dodgers again. Considering that Kershaw only pitched in seven games in 2024, the rust was there. 

The form that was on display against the Angels was hardly the form that won Kershaw the Cy Young award three times. Now in his 18th Major League Baseball season, all with the Dodgers, Kershaw didn’t look like the vintage Clayton Kershaw. That’s going to take a little time. 

The Angels managed to get runs in the first, third, and fourth innings off Kershaw. And that would be that. Kershaw lasted four innings. The teams went back and forth all night until the Angels went on a five-run surge in the seventh inning to give themselves the lead for good. 

Though he ended his night much earlier than he anticipated, Kershaw is happy to be back on the field.

“First one back and just to be back down here at Dodger Stadium, so it was special for me,” he said. 

Featured Image: LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 17: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) pitches during the first inning during the game between the Angels and the Dodgers on May 17, 2025, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire)