Kershaw moving in right direction with ramp-up
GLENDALE, Ariz. — After a slower-than-normal begin to the spring, the first focus for Clayton Kershaw heading into his second Cactus League begin was constructing momentum in his ramp-up for the start of the season.
Kershaw threw 4 1/3 innings within the Dodgers’ 3-1 loss to the Rangers on Thursday, permitting 5 hits and two runs — each approaching solo homers — whereas placing out 4 and strolling none. The left-hander thought of it a step in the precise route.
“I think tonight was a slight improvement from the last one,” stated Kershaw. “I felt like I had a few more good throws in there than I did last time, but there’s still some work to do. … Overall, I felt like I was moving pretty good — just need to clean up a few of the smaller things right now.”
In the afternoon previous to Kershaw’s outing, supervisor Dave Roberts famous that the veteran didn’t have a really feel for the slider in his debut and that he was looking for constant management along with his offspeed. Against the Rangers, Kershaw appeared to have a greater grasp on his putaway pitch, as he struck out shortstop Corey Seager on a slider within the grime, froze Nathaniel Lowe with one within the zone for strike three and was in a position to throw it for strikes, primarily forcing mushy contact when it was provided at.
“We came into tonight trying to get a better feel for the slider — I think we accomplished that,” stated Roberts. “I thought he worked both sides of the plate well.”
The slider was Kershaw’s most used and most dominant pitch in 2022, as he threw it 42.7 p.c of the time and it had a run worth of -10. Opposing hitters solely batted .200 in opposition to it, with 77 of his 137 strikeouts coming from the slider — as did three of his 4 punchouts on Thursday.
Yet Kershaw walked away from the beginning feeling as if he wanted to sharpen his execution with that pitch, remaining his personal “harshest critic,” stated Roberts.
“My sliders, even my good ones, were getting foul balls instead of swings and misses,” stated Kershaw. “There were a couple in there that were good, but still few and far between. I need to get it going, that’s for sure. But I think I got some ideas about how to make it [the slider] a little better. So hopefully, it works.”
Conversely, Kershaw bumped into hassle along with his fastball, as each residence runs he allowed got here on that pitch. He additionally allowed two homers in his Cactus League debut in opposition to the Angels final week — each off fastballs.
“Honestly, the fastball command wasn’t very good tonight,” he stated. “I felt like I was behind a lot of hitters.”
Last season, the fastball and slider labored hand in hand for Kershaw. He threw the fastball 39.9 p.c of the time, taking part in it nicely off the slider as a result of pitches’ 4 mph distinction in velocity. However, with a whiff charge of just below 10 p.c in 2022, precision with the heater would be the utmost precedence for Kershaw — particularly along with his fastball velocity having dipped in recent times, starting from 90-93 mph.
