The outcome was likely, but not a certainty. Entering his final tune-up start of the season, Los Angeles Dodgers' ace, Clayton Kershaw, needed just six strikeouts to eclipse 300 on the season. The only problem – he only had 60 pitches to do it.
Kershaw wasted little time becoming the first pitcher in 13 years to reach the milestone, striking out seven of the first 13 batters he faced before leaving the game in the fourth inning once he reached his pitch count.
Kershaw allowed just two hits over 3.2 scoreless innings, leaving the game to a standing ovation as he prepares himself for the postseason, which starts on Friday.
With 299 strikeouts recorded, and a two-strike count on Melvin Upton Jr, the Dodger Stadium crowd rose to their feet as if it was the final out of the World Series. Kershaw struck him out on a nasty curveball, to become the first pitcher since Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in 2002 to record 300 strikeouts in a season.
"It's definitely a cool thing," Kershaw said after the game. "Obviously not the most important thing in the world. If my pitch count got there and I didn't have 300, I would have come out of the game. Being fresh for the playoffs is more important than 300 strikeouts."
Thankfully for Los Angeles, they were able to have their cake and eat it too as Kershaw finished the season with 301 total strikeouts, winning the MLB's strikeout crown for the first time in his career.
Kershaw joined his mentor, Sandy Koufax, as the only two Dodgers in franchise history to eclipse the 300-strikeout plateau, as Koufax accomplished the feat three separate times in the 1960s.
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"As I've said before, anytime you associate with Sandy it's a tremendous honor," Kerhsaw said. "I haven't thought about it a whole lot, but it's definitely an honor."
Kershaw enters into the postseason on a historic pace, going 11-1 with a 1.22 ERA over the second half of the season. Despite his recent success, Kershaw knows he will have to get the proverbial playoff monkey off his back.
In the past two postseasons, Kershaw has allowed a combined 22 runs in six starts, posting a career ERA of 5.12 in five total playoff series.
"We'll find out," he said when asked how he'll perform this postseason. "I'll start tomorrow and get ready to go."
Kershaw is expected to start Game 1 of the NLDS against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium going opposite Jacob deGrom and the champions of the NL East.
