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Los Angeles Dodgers: Why its better to be patient with Clayton Kershaw

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Pitcher Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning during the MLB game against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium on April 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Pitcher Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the first inning during the MLB game against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium on April 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

3. Clayton Kershaw will be fresher down the stretch

Clayton Kershaw had a massive workload from 2010 to 2015 that has led to his bad injury luck the past few seasons. Not only was Kershaw throwing a ton of regular season innings but was pitching in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 postseason as well, just adding to his mileage.

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Not only was his mileage high but he was the anchor that held the Dodgers rotation down and the bonafide best pitcher in baseball in that stretch. It is hard being great night in and night out and for five years Kershaw was absolutely dominant nearly every time he touched the mound.

You have to be a special kind of person to be that good and Kershaw is that kind of person. The only problem is that his body eventually caught up to him, which has led to these injuries and an overall dip in velocity.

With such a deep rotation the Dodgers should not be concerned about winning games in April because of Kershaw, the team should be worried about winning games late in the season and in the postseason with Kershaw.

While it is not a failproof plan, Kershaw sitting out, even if it is just for two weeks, to start the year is going to lessen his workload and keep him fresher as the year goes along. Those two-five stats that he misses will even out with his postseason starts and will hopefully keep him at a consistent level when he is on the mound.

It is unfair to expect a prime Clayton Kershaw in 2019 but the Dodgers will at least get a more consistent version of Kershaw if the team is patient and lets him get to 100 percent.

If the team rushes it that is only going to create more complications in the future and is going to get a Kershaw that is 75 percent.

Next. How the top of the order should be built. dark

While a 75 percent Kershaw is still better than most the pitchers in the league, the Dodgers do not have to rush back their ace when 90, or even 100, percent Kershaw late in the season is possible.

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