Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws the first ball of the 2020 World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Game 1 of the World Series is attended by fans. The MLB offered a limited amount of series tickets. In addition, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels were also absent from the postseason due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Kershaw is one of the best pitchers in baseball history, having won two National League Cy Young Awards and three MVP awards. He has also been named to seven All-Star Games. The 28-year-old has never lost an opening game of a World Series (winning all four starts), with his latest victory coming last year in Game 1 against the Boston Red Sox.
Kershaw has a career record of 104-30 with 3.12 ERA in 13 seasons with the Dodgers. He was drafted by the team in 2008 after graduating from High School in Simi Valley, California.
As part of its agreement with Major League Baseball, the Dodgers are allowed to allocate up to $10 million of their budget on World Series bonuses for themselves and their players. If they exceed this limit, the additional money will be distributed among the other teams' players and coaches based on how much they earned during the regular season.
Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers will get the start on Opening Day. The 23-year-old left-hander has one of the best records in baseball history. He has a career 24-8 record with a 1.77 ERA in two seasons with the Dodgers.
Kershaw was drafted by the Dodgers in 2008 out of California High School. He made an immediate impact by going 8-1 that season, finishing second in MVP voting. In 2009, his first full year as a starter, he went 20-5 with a 1.81 ERA and five shutouts. He was again voted MVP.
In 2010, his third season with the Dodgers, Kershaw continued to show why he's considered one of the best pitchers in baseball. He went 16-3 with a 1.77 ERA and led the league in wins. He was also named MVP for a third time.
After three straight 20-win seasons, many thought Kershaw would win MVP honors for the fourth time. But Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants won the award last year with a 21-5 record and a 2.86 ERA. This year, it looks like Kershaw will try to break this record - again.
Corey Seager and Justin Turner blasted back-to-back home runs for the Dodgers, putting the club ahead for good in a 3-1 victory and forcing a pivotal Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday. Ian Anderson has been chosen the starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. He will be trying to become just the third pitcher in NLCS history to start a game with a three-game sweep going into it. The other two starters were Randy Johnson (2001) and Roy Halladay (2010).
In the Atlanta Braves' rotation, Anderson will be trying to become just the third pitcher in NLCS history to start a game with a three-game sweep going into it. Anderson is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two postseason starts this year. He's allowed one run over seven innings while striking out nine batters.
The 36-year-old left-hander is coming off a dominant performance in Game 6, where he didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning before finishing with eight strikeouts over five scoreless frames. With the series tied at three games each, this one could go either way. If anything, this one should be close throughout.
Prediction: Dodgers 5, Braves 4
A.J. Pollock drove in eight runs and Matt Beatty drove in seven, with both players hitting early grand homers in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 16-4 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Dustin May, the Dodgers' right-hander, has been placed on the 10-day injured list with an arm ailment.
The first of four postseason games will be played on Tuesday in Arlington. The time of departure will be established. Even though the Dodgers will not play another game in Los Angeles this season, Dodger Stadium will host at least three and maybe five postseason games. 2020 is an odd year.
Los Angeles, California... All but eight active players have started more big league games than the Dodgers' pitcher. And David Price will get at least one more chance to start his 327th career game, maybe on Wednesday, before returning to the bullpen.
The left-hander has been very successful as a starter, with a 120-54 record and 3.38 ERA in 13 seasons. But after going 15-3 last year and winning the Cy Young Award, it's clear that Clayton Kershaw is a starting pitcher who can't be replaced. So the Dodgers moved Price to the bullpen this season.
He's made six relief appearances so far this year and hasn't allowed an earned run or struck out a batter. He's 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two September games (one start).
Price said he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be used as a reliever instead of a starter. "They've got me set up for either role," he told reporters Sunday. "I mean, I guess we'll find out soon enough."
He did say he likes being part of a team that goes all out each and every day during games. "It's fun to be a part of," he said.
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