They’ve every performed 18 respective big-league seasons. They’ve mixed for almost 6,500 strikeouts and 436 profession wins. They every have two World Sequence titles, and three Cy Younger Awards. And sooner or later, they’ll every have plaques in Cooperstown, future first-ballot Corridor of Famers who outlined their era of pitching.
For Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer, there’s nothing left to show.
That doesn’t imply, nonetheless, that there’s nothing left to play for.
Which is why, on Friday evening at Dodger Stadium, in a pitchers’ duel that noticed each veteran aces flip in classic performances, the 2 icons who’ve meant a lot to the game’s previous discovered themselves within the heart of its current:
Pitching for first-place groups. Remaining efficient regardless of their diminished arsenals. And wrapped up in what felt like a pivotal contest getting into their golf equipment’ stretch run of the season.
“It’s all the time enjoyable to pitch for one thing. I’ve been tremendous spoiled right here that, yearly, it’s simply what you do,” Kershaw mentioned. “I do know Scherz has been that manner too, loads of instances. So I feel that’s what makes us preserve — or at the least what makes me preserve going. I’m positive Scherz is identical manner.”
Within the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over Scherzer and the Toronto Blue Jays, it was Kershaw who proved to be a fraction higher — giving up just one run to Scherzer’s two on an evening they each went six innings.
“Clearly, pitching towards Scherz, you understand you’re gonna have a battle in your arms,” Kershaw mentioned afterward. “I received to play with him, I received to compete towards him, mainly our entire careers.”
Certainly, the primary time Kershaw and Scherzer crossed paths was on this identical area virtually 20 years prior. On Sept. 7, 2008, Kershaw stuffed in for one future Corridor of Famer, Greg Maddux. Scherzer did the identical for an additional, Randy Johnson, whereas taking part in for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“You return to that sport, we’re competing all the way in which again then,” Scherzer mentioned. “It’s form of a cool little milestone second right here, the place we’re hooking it again up towards one another, squaring off one another once more.”
At the moment, neither might have foreseen what lay forward of their careers (together with a quick stint as teammates with the Dodgers throughout their failed title protection in 2021).
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers within the first inning Friday towards the Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
And searching again, they may have by no means envisioned discovering themselves — together with fellow future Corridor of Fame pitcher and three,000-strikeout member Justin Verlander — in an unique class of era-defining pitchers.
“I don’t know if it’s our final yr,” Kershaw quipped, “however [we’re] towards the tip, for positive.”
Whereas which may be true, each pitchers have saved going with nights corresponding to Friday’s in thoughts.
For Kershaw, that is the primary time since 2020 he’s getting into the stretch run of the season with none apparent harm considerations — a welcome reduction after being sidelined for final yr’s World Sequence run.
“This is the reason he got here again,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “To be part of a pennant race.”
Scherzer, in the meantime, is now greater than a month faraway from an early-season thumb harm, returning simply in time to assist the upstart Blue Jays (68-49) make a push for a shock American League East crown.
“I’m right here to win,” Scherzer mentioned. “This one stings.”
Over Kershaw’s six innings, the 37-year-old left-hander navigated visitors and restricted harm. He gave up seven hits (his second-most all season) and didn’t report an out in any of his 4 at-bats towards a left-hander (“I received to determine that out,” he bemoaned).
But, he held Toronto to just one run with the assistance of 4 strikeouts and three essential double-plays — none greater than the bases-loaded line drive Mookie Betts snared at shortstop with one out within the second, then flipped to the bag at second to double off a runner.
Mookie Betts celebrates with teammate Teoscar Hernández (37) after hitting a two-run dwelling run for the Dodgers within the fifth inning Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
“Mookie making that double play within the second form of actually received me going,” mentioned Kershaw, who now has a 3.14 earned-run common in 14 begins this season. “The second inning might have gotten out of hand there.”
The 41-year-old Scherzer, in the meantime, noticed what had been a scoreless evening shattered by two swings within the fifth. First, Shohei Ohtani hit a two-out, ground-rule double over the wall in proper. Then Betts belted a go-ahead, two-run homer on a dangling first-pitch slider — a part of a two-hit, three-RBI evening that, after a career-worst 0-for-22 drought earlier this week, now has him six-for-his-last-10.
“Much more assured now,” Betts mentioned. “We’ll see how tomorrow goes. I loved right this moment. However received to show the web page.”
The Dodgers (67-49) finally pulled away late, scoring thrice towards the Blue Jays’ bullpen within the seventh.
However by the tip of the evening, the eye nonetheless revolved round Kershaw and Scherzer — who met afterward within the Dodgers’ dwelling dugout to swap jerseys and pose arm-in-arm for a photograph.
“They’ve been battling it out for an extended, very long time,” Betts mentioned. “It’s actually good to see them nonetheless going at it. Only a blessing to be part of one thing like that.”
How for much longer both veteran will preserve taking part in past this season stays unclear.
Although Kershaw is wholesome, his fastball continues to take a seat under 90 mph, forcing him to lean extra closely on his go-to slider, trademark curveball and more and more prevalent splitter and sinker.
Scherzer can nonetheless contact 96 mph — “It doesn’t appear like he’s aged in any respect,” Kershaw joked — however has additionally made simply 18 whole begins over his final two seasons.
And, as Kershaw playfully added, “he’s manner older than me. He’s, like, 41.”
For now, nonetheless, each are taking part in necessary roles for contenders. Each stay efficient regardless of the heavy mileage on their arms. And if Friday was the final time they match up within the majors (the Dodgers are 4-1 in such contests, together with the playoffs) it delivered a riveting, nostalgic and applicable swan music.
“They each are clearly nice opponents,” Roberts mentioned. “I don’t know in the event you’re gonna see this one once more.”
