Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw’s velocity becoming a concern

Clayton Kershaw has been the ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers for ten years. As father time approaches, there has emerged a noticeable trend.

It’s hard to take one game and conflate it to a whole season but the most recent pitching performance by Clayton Kershaw surely is a microcosm of his struggles this season.

Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics Kershaw went six innings and only gave up two runs while walking none. A solid start but the number that jumps out was that in his six innings Kershaw only struck out one batter.

In his 17 starts this season that was the second time Kershaw struck out two or fewer batters. Hardly a large sample size but consider that last year it only happened twice in 23 starts,  and in both instances, it was because Kershaw was pulled early. Once due to injury and the other in a practice game of sorts when the Los Angeles Dodgers had already clinched home field advantage.

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Strikeouts aren’t the only measure of a pitcher but for Kershaw who has lead the National League in strike outs three times with seven top 10 finishes it is the sign of something.

2018 just hasn’t been a good year for Kershaw. Last year the Dodgers were 23-4 in games in which he pitched this year the team is only 8-9. Despite early season run scoring trouble the Dodgers are averaging 5.1 runs per Kershaw start, higher than last years 4.8 per start.

The reality is that after two straight years of dealing with significant back injuries the Kershaw that everyone once knew may not be around anymore.

One of the keys that may be a clue in Kershaw’s diminishing strikeouts is the velocity of his fastball. According to Fangraphs, Clayton Kershaw’s average on his fastball is around 91 mph, a continued downward trend from 94.3 back in 2015.

What’s most concerning is that this year his fastball is topping out at its highest around 93 mph again a significant drop from the 97 mph he was throwing in 2015 and 2016. Not surprisingly teams are batting .287 this year when Kershaw throws the fastball, that’s the highest it’s been since Kershaw’s rookie season.

A lower velocity means when Kershaw is looking for that out pitch with his fastball, teams are teeing off on it.

Injury problems, diminished velocity, and lack of strikeouts are a recipe for a pitcher like Clayton Kershaw to go from great to good. It’s unfair that when Kershaw is just “good” the Dodgers have trouble winning. Frankly with average options in the rotation that is not a good sign for the Dodgers going forward.