Who is the greatest Dodgers pitcher of all time? Well, we all might have different names in our minds, but Dave Roberts is someone who is still in the present. One of his current Dodgers pitchers is on the verge of achieving something historic, and the skipper can’t help but shower him with praise.
As of now, there are a total of 19 pitchers in history who have reached the 3000 Ks milestone. And the latest one might be from the Dodgers camp—the one who has been compared with the legendary Sandy Koufax by Roberts. It’s Clayton Kershaw!
With his start against the Rockies, Kershaw already topped his number of starts from last season. And he is now just three strikeouts shy of hitting the 3,000 mark for his career. His next shot at making history comes this Wednesday, when he’s set to take the mound at Dodger Stadium against the White Sox. And quite naturally, Roberts can’t keep calm about that.
Oct 1, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
“I think that for me, obviously, Sandy is Sandy Dell. I haven’t put their numbers, but you’re talking about 18 years, though, and the career of the body of work. It’s hard not to say Clayton, you know, is the greatest dodge of all time,” the manager said in the Dodgers’ pregame presser.
Kershaw achieving the 3000 Ks milestone will be huge, but can he be placed above Sandy Koufax? Well his numbers speak for themselves, even though some might argue about his struggles in the postseason. The numbers prove that Clayton Kershaw isn’t just the best pitcher of his generation, he might be the greatest Dodgers pitcher of all time. That might sound like a stretch, but let’s check the stats.
In the Live Ball Era (1920 to now), among pitchers with at least 2,000 innings, Kershaw sits right at the top when it comes to career ERA. And he’s about to hit 3,000 strikeouts. Now, that’s something even the legendary Sandy Koufax didn’t reach, finishing his career with 2,396 Ks.
What’s more interesting is that Kershaw has the chance to achieve the milestone in front of the home crowd! And a little bit of credit for that goes to Roberts. The skipper revealed how he intentionally shortened the last start of Kershaw to let him achieve the milestone in Dodger Stadium: “I kind of short hooked him a little bit as far as pitch count, but I just felt that was in Denver, and maybe a little bit I wanted him to do it here.”
But hey, that’s not all. Roberts also wants a Kershaw statue in the Dodger stadium.
Roberts is pitching for a Kershaw statue in the Dodger Stadium
“Obviously, arguably one of the greatest of all time. And so, he’s just he’s going to have a statue at some point,” Roberts said.
Well, Kershaw’s resume is the stuff of legends. He is a 3x Cy Young Award winner, 9x All-Star, and holds the best career ERA in the Live Ball Era among pitchers with over 2,000 innings pitched. What’s unique is that Kershaw is a 2014 NL MVP—a rare feat for a pitcher!
There’s more…
Beyond the stats, he has been the heart and soul of the Dodgers for nearly two decades. Since his debut in 2008, he’s been the team’s ace, leading them to multiple postseason appearances and playing a key role in their 2020 World Series championship. And talking about his loyalty, Kershaw spent his entire career in Dodger blue, something increasingly rare in modern baseball.
For the unversed, Dodger Stadium already features statues of Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax, two legends who left an everlasting impact on the game. Surely, Kershaw belongs right next to them. He’s probably this generation’s Koufax, and the question isn’t if he should get a statue—it’s when.
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