What Dodgers need from Clayton Kershaw

As Kershaw prepares to make his 2024 debut Thursday against the San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers face a daunting reality. Their pitching staff is ravaged by injuries, with three additional starters on the IL and James Paxton recently designated for assignment.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently expressed optimism about Kershaw, who hasn't pitched this season after surgery to his throwing shoulder in the offseason.

"I just feel like we’re going to get the same guy, I really do," Roberts said in an interview with Orange County Register's Doug Padilla.

He noted Kershaw's impressive career and recent progress.

"Just in talking to Clayton, he feels much better...being pain-free and building up his strength. I don't see why there wouldn't be an uptick in his stuff. When you get an elite player like that, it should translate into performance."

The Dodgers aren't expecting 2014 Kershaw, whose fastball once ranked in the upper percentile in velocity. Instead, the Dodgers need the savvy veteran who has adapted his game, relying on a slider he threw 43.4% of the time in 2023, complemented by a mix of curveballs and diminished fastballs.

This transformation is reminiscent of another lefty, CC Sabathia, who in 2017, also at age 36, reinvented himself by emphasizing his slider as his fastball velocity waned. That season, Sabathia provided the Yankees with 148.2 innings and a 1.8 fWAR, a valuable contribution to a team that fell just short of the World Series.

The Dodgers are counting on Kershaw to deliver similar dependability. 

They need innings, consistency and, above all, results from him. Kershaw still ranked in the 89th percentile in pitching run value in 2023, proving he can be effective without overpowering hitters.

Kershaw's evolution from a dominant fireballer to a crafty pitcher makes him a unique asset in today's game.

As Kershaw steps onto the mound, perhaps for his final season in Dodger Blue, he carries not just the hopes of a team but the legacy of a franchise. The Dodgers don't need the Kershaw of old. They need the Kershaw who can navigate the challenges of declining ability with the same finesse and grit that defined his peak years.

If this is indeed his final season, there's little doubt that he'll give everything he has left.