Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that Clayton Kershaw will be available out of the bullpen in the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
Clayton Kershaw Available Out of the Dodgers Bullpen in NLDS
Clayton Kershaw will be in the bullpen for this NLDS, Dave Roberts said.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 3, 2025
A Spectacular Finish
Kershaw, likely to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as a starter, may be called upon to get crucial outs in the later innings. The left-hander, who is retiring at the end of the season, was not on the Wild Card roster because he pitched in the Dodgers’ last regular-season game. In quintessential fashion, he tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts to close out the schedule.
Starting Rotation Set
Roberts revealed that Shohei Ohtani will get the start in Game One, Blake Snell will follow in Game Two, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch in Game Three. The Dodgers’ starters have done their part since August 1st. They have a combined ERA of just 2.00. Consequently, Los Angeles finished the season strong, winning 17 of their last 22 games.
Plugging a Leak
As outstanding as the starting rotation has been, the Dodgers’ relief corps has been iffy at best. They have had a mid-4 ERA and coughed up numerous late-inning leads, particularly in the second half of the season. As a result, Los Angeles had to play in the Wild Card round this year despite winning the NL West. Kershaw has one relief appearance this year. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in what would be a critical win for the Dodgers on their quest for another division title. The left-hander went 11-2 with a 3.53 ERA in his final year overall, and proved to himself and others that he could still get outs by relying on location and movement.
If Kershaw is just as effective out of the pen, the Dodgers would consider it a bonus, and it could go a long way in determining whether the Dodgers can win another World Series ring.
Main Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
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