GLENDALE, Ariz. — Clayton Kershaw was not happy.
This was reflected in the brevity of his answers on a Zoom session with reporters following his most recent Cactus League start. Kershaw gave up back-to-back home runs to the first two batters he faced and five runs on eight hits in four innings Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
“Not great. Not great,” he said. “Not a lot of positives.”
The Dodgers ace and designated Opening Day starter was back on a mound in a competitive situation again Sunday. This time, he was facing a lineup of likely minor-leaguers from the Brewers’ system in a ‘B’ game on the practice fields at Camelback Ranch.
He pitched much better, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on four hits (one a misplay by the left fielder that resulted in a double), walking one and striking out six. Afterwards, Kershaw declined to speak with reporters.
When it comes to demanding the best from himself, a World Series win has clearly not banked Kershaw’s fire.
“I don’t think any past result even a World series championship will mellow him out,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, laughing at the thought that Kershaw’s competitive drive might be tamed by last year’s win. “That’s why after it’s all said and done he’s gonna be on his way to Cooperstown. He just is a consummate professional and pro and competitor.”
In the days following the poor outing in the Cactus League start, Kershaw went to work on fixing his mistakes, largely of poor location. It’s a process Roberts has become very familiar with over the years.
“He’s just very methodical, and he practices, prepares with a purpose,” Roberts said. “When an adjustment needs to be made, he makes it. But at the end of the day, he’s going to give you everything he has when he takes the baseball.”
Kershaw threw 73 pitches in Sunday’s ‘B’ game. He will make one more Cactus League start (Friday night against the Oakland A’s) before getting the ball on Opening Day in Colorado on April 1.
“He’s very in tune with his body and his delivery. So if something is a little bit out of whack, he’s very cognizant of it,” Roberts said. “I thought today he threw the ball really well especially his spin — the slider, the curveball — was really good today. And I thought the fastball was good as well. So I thought today was much improved over last time.”
KELLY PROGRESS
Reliever Joe Kelly threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Sunday morning and his displeasure at a few pitches in particular could be heard around the sparsely populated complex.
“He’s still trying to build arm strength so the consistency of the throws is just not quite there,” Roberts said. “But it was good to see him use his entire mix — the fastball, curveball and the changeup. But we just have to continue to build him up.”
Kelly was slow to start his throwing program this spring after suffering unspecified soreness and then missing one workout with an illness.
Roberts has said Kelly is unlikely to be ready to open the season on the active roster and he will throw at least one more bullpen session before he even faces hitters in a simulated-game situation.
Kelly was limited to 13 2/3 innings last season (10 during the regular season and 3 2/3 in the postseason) due to shoulder inflammation.
BUSCH SHOW
Dodgers prospect Michael Busch hit home runs in each of his first two at-bats in Sunday’s ‘B’ game, both off Brewers right-hander Josh Lindblom.
The Dodgers’ second first-round pick (31st overall) in the 2019 draft, Busch has played just 15 official games as a professional — five each in rookie ball, Class-A and the Arizona Fall League. But he has earned increasingly positive reviews after his performance at the Dodgers’ alternate training site and in instructional ball last fall.
In some rankings, he is the best hitting prospect in the Dodgers’ system. Roberts is sold on more than that after watching the 23-year-old Busch this spring.
“I like him. I like the baseball player,” Roberts said. “I think that people talk about the bat but I like the overall baseball player.
“He’s got a good head, good makeup, comes from a great program (University of North Carolina), plays the game the right way, very high baseball acumen. So he checks every box. Now it’s just going out there and continuing to take professional at-bats, play second base and continue to get comfortable over there. But he’s coming.”
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