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Clayton Kershaw, Stephen Strasburg to meet for showdown
Wednesday’s Say Hey, Baseball is all about aces, baseball animals, bat flip strategy, and particularly dirty pitches.
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
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As the Nationals look for the broom and the Dodgers look to hide it, Stephen Strasburg and Clayton Kershaw are set to match up Wednesday afternoon in a pitching battle royale. The Dodgers dropped the first two in a three-game series that began on Monday. Facing a lefty (Dodger Kryptonite) in the form of the Good Gio Gonzalez and Max Scherzer (everyone Kryptonite), the L.A. lineup hasn’t defied any expectations by producing only three runs. The Nationals have been less prolific than is typical of their league-leading offense, too, and have relied on solid relief appearances (!?) to preserve two- and one-run leads. It’s probable that Wednesday will hold more of the same, but, ya know, with like, Kershaw and Strasburg pitching. Think of all the bowel-breaking curveballs.
The game will be the face-off that never was in 2016. Kershaw and Strasburg were the set starters about this time last season in L.A., but it wasn’t to be. Strasburg was scratched pregame for an upper-back strain. What was supposed to be a matchup for the ages turned into simply another dominating outing from Kersh. He would hold the Nationals offense to just one run that night, and his teammates would support him with four against long-man turned starter for a night (basically Cinderella) Yusmeiro Petit.
Strasburg was unable to avenge his lost opportunity during the meeting between the Dodgers and the Nationals in the 2016 NLDS because of the latest in his plague of injuries. Kershaw, however, will haunt the hearts of every National on that postseason roster. Visions of a determined pitching-god warrior trotting in from the bullpen in Game 5 on short rest after throwing twice in the series is the campfire story Nats fans will regale to their children. As Kershaw worked to change his postseason narrative, at least for stubborn media members, the Nationals reaffirmed theirs. Kershaw forced 2016’s best hitter, Daniel Murphy, to popup and coaxed a Wilmer Difo strikeout to seal the series.
Strasburg is pitching solely from the stretch this season, in hopes that simplified mechanics will result in fewer DL stints and fewer missed starts in potentially iconic matchups. Wednesday’s matinee will likely go off without a hitch. Kershaw doesn’t have much to prove to anyone ever, but especially not in regards to the Nationals. The Nats, though, have won just once with Stras on the mound, one of two decisions for the second ace. Strasburg’s only win came in 2014 across from Dan Haren, and Kershaw is barely his better in WAR, ERA, and WHIP in 2017. It would never be fair to paint Strasburg as an underdog, but this could be a chance to prove a point. Hold onto your butts.
- As the Sports Illustrated prophecy foretold, the Astros are very good and wonderful in 2017. Let Grant Brisbee tell you why they aren’t reaching their potential, even with a .724 win percentage.
- Many apologies to Scooter Gennett, but this bird playing baseball comes second to no one. The announcers claim that our feathered friend almost interferes with the play, but I think it’s clear to everyone that it was calling Paul Goldschmidt off the bunt.
- Not a great day for former baseball players and normal, not-xenophobic opinions. Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt has decided that English is the language of leaders, Red Sox announcer Jerry Remy thinks translators should be disallowed, and I am ready to die.
- The Royals walked off the big bad Astros, and the numbers confirm that Alex Gordon has indeed hit a home run.
- Bat flips are for more than making ex-players mad. There could be largely unexplored method behind the madness.
- Max Scherzer has a new toy (that he used to strikeout 14 in seven innings Tuesday night) because that’s what you get when you eat all your vegetables, clean your room, and give it time, kids.
- A man who chooses to go by Scooter hit four home runs, including a grand slam Tuesday night. Sources say that’s good.
- MLB has been focusing on the untapped Very Good Baseball Dog market lately, and we are all better for it. For example, the Brewer’s Tuesday night Bark in the Park featured some great pups. You’re doing amazing, sweetie.
- Joe Kelly threw a 104 MPH pitch to Aaron Judge. He should ask Jayson Werth what usually happens when you speed that fast around a judge.
- Commissioner Manfred thinks Chase Field requires improvements. We know this because he’s said it. Twice.
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