{"id":19075,"date":"2022-07-19T11:42:42","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T11:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/clayton-kershaw-named-nl-starter-will-face-als-shane-mcclanahan-at-dodger-stadium\/"},"modified":"2022-07-19T11:42:42","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T11:42:42","slug":"clayton-kershaw-named-nl-starter-will-face-als-shane-mcclanahan-at-dodger-stadium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/clayton-kershaw-named-nl-starter-will-face-als-shane-mcclanahan-at-dodger-stadium\/","title":{"rendered":"Clayton Kershaw named NL starter, will face AL’s Shane McClanahan at Dodger Stadium"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

After winning an MVP award, three Cy Youngs and five ERA titles, one of the generation’s best pitchers will claim a title that has somehow eluded him: All-Star Game starter. Clayton Kershaw is starting the Midsummer Classic at Dodger Stadium, a glorious and appropriate honor for the avatar of the recent Dodgers.<\/p>\n

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, this year’s NL All-Star skipper, announced the decision Monday morning. The Tampa Bay Rays’ Shane McClanahan, a 25-year-old fireballer leading MLB with a 1.71 ERA, will start for the American League squad.<\/p>\n

As if he needed to audition for the role, Kershaw carried a perfect game into the eighth inning on Friday in his last start before the break.<\/p>\n

The start at his home park recalls Pedro Martinez’s legendary outing at Fenway Park in 1999, despite the fact that Kershaw is no longer quite at the peak of his powers.<\/p>\n

It’s true that Kershaw is no longer the apex predator of his prime \u2014 but that’s mostly due to durability, not dominance when he’s on the mound. Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara and upstart Dodgers teammate Tony Gonsolin had the best first-half cases for the nod, but Kershaw has the narrative and \u2014 it must be said \u2014 a 2.13 ERA that is flying under the radar. His park-adjusted ERA + is 194, meaning he’s been 94 percent better than league average. The knock is that he’s only thrown 71 2\/3 innings where Alcantara, the league’s preeminent workhorse, has thrown a staggering 138 1\/3 with an even better 1.76 ERA.<\/p>\n

Alcantara, 26, will have time to continue building his star and earn the spot. Kershaw, at 34 years old, has certainly waited for his moment. And it’s not much of a sacrifice for the pure pitching possibilities, either. He remains capable of breathtaking mastery. Earlier this year, he tossed seven perfect innings in Minnesota before departing.<\/p>\n

As for the competition on his own team, Kershaw bought Gonsolin a brand new suit for the occasion of his All-Star debut, so we’re guessing there are no hard feelings there.<\/p>\n