© Tim Heitman | 2020 Oct 15
The favorite team is of San Francisco Giants fans is self-evident. Their second favorite team? Whoever is playing the Dodgers.
On Thursday night, as it was the previous three nights, that was the Atlanta Braves, who took a commanding 3-1 lead in a 10-2 shellacking of Los Angeles in the National League Championship Series.
Again the Dodgers finished with the top record in the National League in 2020. Again, for what would be the eighth season in a row, they find themselves on the brink of being eliminated from the postseason without a World Series title.
And again, it was Clayton Kershaw who was on the mound when everything went to hell for LA.
One of the greatest pitchers in baseball history floundered again, bringing his career postseason ERA to 4.31, the worst among all pitchers who have thrown more than 100 innings in the playoffs. Kershaw entered the sixth with the game tied 1-1, but allowed two runs on three consecutive hits to start the inning, leaving the game with the Dodgers down 3-1.
When the inning eventually ended, the Dodgers found themselves in a 7-1 hole in which they would not recover. Kershaw allowed seven hits and four earned runs in 5+ innings.
If you thought Twitter might spare Kershaw this one time, you’d be mistaken:
Clayton Kershaw's 4.31 career ERA is the worst in MLB history among pitchers with over 100 playoff innings #Dodgers
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) October 16, 2020
The Clayton Kershaw Postseason Meltdown is always the saddest reality show every year. You keep watching, hoping for a different ending. Then, you just feel terrible for him all over again.
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) October 16, 2020
Clayton Kershaw & James Harden need to make an album together
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) October 16, 2020
This sucks for Clayton Kershaw.
The Braves are super fun and young though. If it does end up Braves/Rays in the World Series, it should be a lot of fun.
— Levi Weaver (@ThreeTwoEephus) October 16, 2020
Really don’t care how Molly Knight qualifies it. Kershaw blew it again. Tale as old as time.
— Sean Jordan (@BaySean) October 16, 2020
Over the years, the main part of the Kershaw is bad in the playoffs thing has been that he’s been left in too long and has given up the homers in the sixth and seventh innings and oh lord wait
— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) October 16, 2020
Sad Kershaw is back for another October. Nature is healing, you guys. pic.twitter.com/zXWIaSDZJf
— LOLKNBR (@LOLKNBR) October 16, 2020
This new Kershaw #postseason commercial is awesome!
(Via @AhaanRungta) pic.twitter.com/igWGVWjJuq
— Jim Russell (@JimRussellSD) October 16, 2020
Clayton Kershaw after another postseason start pic.twitter.com/mFvDvkuiX5
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) October 16, 2020
Playoff Kershaw
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) October 16, 2020
The Playoff Kershaw narrative, whether you agree with it or not, might as well be set in stone.
— Offseason Hiatus Lindsey (@lindseyadler) October 16, 2020
Kershaw choking in the postseason? pic.twitter.com/eWeD9HhA4K
— Sandeep Chandok (@sandeepchandok) October 16, 2020
Clayton Kershaw is back! pic.twitter.com/PAbnfBulZj
— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) October 16, 2020
Clayton Kershaw postseason agony checklist
✅ Offense gives him little help
✅ Manager leaves him in too long
✅ Bullpen allows inherited runner(s) to score
✅ Final line that looks bad— Andrew Simon (@AndrewSimonMLB) October 16, 2020
Clayton Kershaw got the Dodgers just one hit off a rookie starter, send tweet
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 16, 2020
Opponents' batting average this season on Kershaw pitches 1-75: .169
Opponents' batting average this season on Kershaw pitches 76-100: .308
As tough as it is to take the ball from your Hall of Famer, sometimes you gotta accept reality.— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 16, 2020
Clayton Kershaw has given up three go-ahead hits in the 6th inning or later since the 2013 postseason, tied with Justin Verlander for the 2nd-most over that span.
Only Aroldis Chapman (5) has given up more. pic.twitter.com/D5oInwZ9wm
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 16, 2020