LOS ANGELES — The rest of the starting rotation has become an eroding coastline, moving farther and farther back. But Clayton Kershaw is standing firm.
Kershaw cruised through six efficient innings Saturday night, allowing two runs as the Dodgers won their 105th game of the season, 6-2, over the St. Louis Cardinals.
After losing three of their previous four and scoring a total of six runs in those games (including an 11-0 loss Friday that was their most lop-sided of the season), the Dodgers got their mojo back with three home runs in the first two innings including the first of Miguel Vargas’ big-league career.
Before the game, however, the Dodgers placed Dustin May on the Injured List with lower back tightness, effectively ending his regular season and casting some doubt about his availability and utility for the postseason.
Tony Gonsolin is already on the IL, having spent the past month there with a strained forearm. He is scheduled to pitch two innings on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. There is – repeat after me – some doubt about his availability and utility for the postseason.
That leaves Cy Young Award candidate Julio Urias to front a postseason rotation filled with uncertainty – none involving Kershaw now.
Saturday was Kershaw’s fifth start since returning from his second trip this season to the IL with his recurring back issues. In those five starts, Kershaw has looked refreshed and ready for the postseason.
“It’s great, it’s great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of having a healthy Kershaw ahead of the postseason. “For him to take that three-week little blow (on the IL) and get him back and throw the baseball the way he has since coming back — much needed. And it’s really good to see.”
Kershaw has allowed just six runs over 30 innings in the five starts since he rejoined the rotation, holding batters to a .191 average while striking out 36.
The only blemish on Saturday’s postseason dress rehearsal was a two-run home run by Nolan Arenado in Kershaw’s sixth and final inning.
“I feel good. So physically, check that box,” Kershaw said. “I feel like I’ve been able to bounce back pretty good. This was my first start on regular rest. I feel pretty good coming out of it too. So physically, no complaints there. This was a good test. I’ve faced a few good teams in there. Performance-wise, there’s obviously things I would like to do better. But overall, I think it’s been pretty good.”
Held to six runs in the previous four games, the Dodgers matched that in the first four innings off Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery. Will Smith started it by driving an 0-and-1 curveball into the left-field pavilion for a solo home run in the first inning.
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In the second, Trayce Thompson crushed a full-count fastball from Montgomery, sending it 438 feet into the pavilion in left-center.
After Austin Barnes singled, Vargas hit his first major-league home run, a smile creasing his face as he rounded the bases no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.
“I wasn’t even looking (at the ball). I was just running the bases and I just heard everyone screaming. I didn’t know what to do,” Vargas said.
“I mean, it was a lot of emotion. I don’t know what I did. I’m just trying to enjoy it and not think about what happened. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment.”
An RBI double by Cody Bellinger and an RBI single by Mookie Betts added two more runs in the fourth inning.
In a possible foreshadowing of what a post-Kimbrel, Treinen-less bullpen order might look like in October, Chris Martin, Evan Phillips and Tommy Kahnle (in that order) closed out the win, each tossing a hitless inning.
“What a difference a day makes. Much better tonight,” Roberts said.