Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has won the National League Cy Young Award three of the last five seasons. He has not finished lower than third in the award’s voting since the 2010 season.
At 28, he might actually be pitching his best-ever season and cementing his name as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the sport.
In Kershaw’s past six starts he has struck out at least 10 batters and walked just one or fewer, which is the longest streak of that kind in 116 years dating back to 1900. Just four other pitchers this season in the majors have more than one start with that stat and none has done it consecutively.
One hundred six pitchers thus far this season have walked four batters during just one game. That list includes the two Cy Young winners from last year Dallas Keuchel and Jake Arrieta who have each done it on three occasions.
In May alone, Kershaw has struck out 48 batters while walking only one.
If Kershaw keeps up this pace, he will have over 300 strikeout and less than 50 walks, which is something only done previously by three pitchers in the history of major league baseball – last season Kershaw, in 2002 Curt Schilling and back in 1999 Pedro Martinez.
In 10 starts during his career, Kershaw has 10 Ks, no walks and one or fewer runs allowed. Just four pitchers have accomplished that more often since 1893.
Kershaw thus far has 6 wins to 4 walks. Entering play Monday, only one other MLB pitcher had six wins and just four walks. That was Eramso Ramirez, who has 35 innings pitched this season, while Kershaw has 70.
On the season, Kershaw is 6-1 with an ERA of 1.67. His WHIP is just 0.70. Kershaw could have a much better won loss record if his offense would hit for him. In two of his first four starts, Kershaw had no decisions. In one game, the Dodgers won 2-1 and in the other, they won 3-2, but could not give Kershaw the runs he needed to get the decision.
