WATCH: Derek Jeter and Clayton Kershaw share heartwarming handshake during reunion at Dodgers vs Mets NLCS Game 1
Without question, Clayton Kershaw is one of the best pitchers of his generation and a future Hall of Famer once he is eligible. The longtime ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been a force for his club.
The 36-year-old, who has struggled with his health in recent seasons, has been shut down for the remainder of the year after making little progress in recovering from bone spurs in his big toe. While Clayton Kershaw will be unable to pitch for the Dodgers throughout the postseason, he remains in the dugout.
Before Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, Kershaw was greeted by another legend of the game: Derek Jeter. When the Yankees icon was making his way toward his booth, he went to Kershaw after seeing him in the Dodgers dugout. Both the legends shook hands and greeted each other.
Although the pair never played together on an MLB team, as the saying goes, "Game respect game."
Even though Kershaw has a player option for next season in his current contract, his future remains unclear. For now, fans will need to settle for seeing the future Hall of Famer cheering on his teammates from the dugout.
Jack Flaherty defended Clayton Kershaw's spotty postseason numbers after the team's NLCS Game 1 victory
Despite Kershaw's incredible career in the regular season, his playoff struggles have been well-documented. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has been one of the best pitchers of his generation, but for whatever reason, that level of success seemingly never translated to the playoffs.
Over his 17-year MLB career, Kershaw has posted an impressive 2.50 ERA over 2742.2 innings. That being said, that number jumps to a 4.49 ERA in the playoffs.
Dodgers star Jack Flaherty defended him after a dominant Game 1 performance against the New York Mets.
“Regardless of what people want to say about what his postseason numbers are, he’s had a hell of a lot of good ones. And he’s been an absolute stud for the entirety of his career," Flaherty said of the Dodgers legend.
Clayton Kershaw had a pivotal moment in 2020, when the Dodgers not only won the World Series, but also allowed him to confront some of his postseason demons. Kershaw went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two World Series starts against the Tampa Bay Rays, striking out 14 batters in total.