MILWAUKEE — Clayton Kershaw has been an All-Star 10 occasions earlier than.
However no choice shocked him fairly like this 12 months’s.
Included on the Nationwide League All-Star crew as a “Legend Choose” by Commissioner Rob Manfred in recognition of his profession accomplishments, Kershaw didn’t get any advance warning from Manfred or anybody within the league workplace that he could be within the “Midsummer Traditional.”
When supervisor Dave Roberts gathered his Dodgers crew to announce the membership’s All-Star choices on Sunday, Kershaw forgot that the “Legend Choose” — which has been used up to now for gamers akin to Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera — was even a factor.
Thus, when Roberts introduced Kershaw’s identify, the 37-year-old was caught greater than a little bit off-guard — having made simply 9 begins this season since coming back from offseason toe and knee surgical procedures.
“Clearly, I don’t need to get to go this season, haven’t pitched very a lot,” he deadpanned. “I don’t know if Doc was going for the shock issue or not. However I had no concept till he mentioned it.”
However by Monday, the meaningfulness of what he described as a “great honor” had additionally set in, with Kershaw expressing gratitude for what can be his eleventh profession choice, tied for essentially the most amongst energetic gamers with Mike Trout.
“You by no means take with no consideration attending to go to an All-Star Sport, whatever the circumstances,” Kershaw mentioned. “On the finish of the day, it’s bizarre however cool, so I’m simply going to get pleasure from it.”
Whereas Kershaw’s restricted workload would usually not warrant an All-Star choice, his stats haven’t been too far off that tempo this 12 months: A 4-0 report, 3.43 ERA and 1.254 WHIP in what’s the 18th season of his future Corridor of Fame profession.
“I feel there’s some good and a few unhealthy,” Kershaw mentioned of his season up to now. “I wouldn’t say pleased, however I wouldn’t say upset both. I might say sort of proper within the center.”
The spotlight of the marketing campaign, after all, got here in Kershaw’s final begin, when he grew to become the twentieth pitcher in MLB historical past to report 3,000 profession strikeouts.
However at this stage of his profession, Kershaw’s actual satisfaction has been along with his well being — lastly previous the assorted again, elbow, shoulder, knee and toe accidents that had plagued him over the past a number of seasons.
“I feel the largest factor is simply the psychological toll [that takes on you],” Kershaw mentioned. “Anybody that has been coping with stuff, I feel it’s all the time behind your head. You get up and also you take a look at it and you progress round and also you take a look at it to see if it hurts, see how unhealthy it hurts. [Now], as an alternative of questioning in the event you can pitch, it’s only a matter of the way you’re going to pitch. I don’t assume I took into appreciation the psychological toll that takes over time. So to simply fear about pitching is good, for positive.”
It has additionally allowed Kershaw “to get the reps and return out and be capable to really feel OK in between begins to work on some stuff,” he mentioned. “Determine some various things mechanically and pitch-wise and stuff.”
Lengthy-term, Kershaw nonetheless hasn’t determined if this can be his remaining season.
“I don’t know what’s going to occur sooner or later,” he mentioned. “I actually do not know in relation to the years past this one. So I’m simply attempting to get pleasure from it, be a part of a extremely good crew this 12 months.”
In relation to subsequent week’s All-Star Sport, he isn’t even positive if he’ll pitch within the showcase exhibition, which can be held at Truist Park in Atlanta.
“I’d like to pitch however I don’t need to take an inning away from someone who’s by no means completed it earlier than or that is their first 12 months or no matter,” he mentioned. “I’ll get pleasure from simply to hold or pitch or no matter.”
On Monday, Kershaw’s focus was as an alternative on his remaining begin of the primary half: A scheduled Tuesday outing towards the Milwaukee Brewers and their 23-year-old rookie starlet, Jacob Misiorowski.
Kershaw, 14 years Misiorowski’s senior, laughed when requested what it’s prefer to be the elder statesman in such high-profile matchups now.
“I noticed a pair highlights [of him], know he throws exhausting,” Kershaw mentioned. “However so does all people. Besides me.”
