The Dodgers’ starting pitcher for Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, left-hander Clayton Kershaw, has been scratched from the lineup because of back spasms, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.
He will be replaced by right-hander Tony Gonsolin, who will face the Braves' starter Ian Anderson in Game 2 on Tuesday night. The Braves have a 1-0 lead in the series after their win Monday night.
It’s likely that Kershaw will be available to start at some point in the series, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, although Roberts said that Kershaw will not start Game 3 on Wednesday. This is not related to the back stiffness that Kershaw faced earlier in the season, Roberts said.
“The likelihood is very good, it’s one of those things that we just felt like we tried to kick the can down the road as long as we could, and today he just woke up and felt that it wouldn’t be smart," Robert said Tuesday afternoon.
"So we as an organization decided to just push him back. I honestly don’t know what game we plan on starting him, but I think to leave that option open to Clayton, when he feels as good as he can, makes the most sense for all of us.”
Kershaw has been dealing with the back spasms since a bullpen session Saturday, Roberts said. The goal was for him to start Game 2 after his condition improved a little bit Sunday and Monday, but it wasn’t quite where he wanted it to be by Tuesday.
“Clayton is the greatest competitor I’ve ever been around, so to give him the opportunity to make the start today was our goal, until we couldn’t," Roberts said.
As far as how Kershaw will be evaluated moving forward, he will be day-to-day, per Roberts.
“He’s doing some dry work, he’s playing some catch, how he feels and the training staff, really, Clayton’s just got a really good feel for his body," Roberts said. "Obviously, going through all that he’s gone through in his career, you have to kind of give way to that a little bit, but we all have a good open line of communication, and we’re going to do what’s best for Clayton and for the Dodgers, when the time is right for him to pitch.”
The Braves had a .273 average against right-handers in the regular season (.852 OPS) compared with a .248 average against left-handers (.754 OPS). In 58-1/3 innings pitched, Kershaw has a 2.16 ERA and 0.840 WHIP, and Gonsolin enters with a 2.31 ERA with an 0.836 WHIP in 46-2/3 innings pitched this season.
Gonsolin’s outing in Game 2 is his postseason debut and marks his second career start vs. the Braves (in four innings, he gave up one earned run on five hits in the Braves' 5-3 win Aug. 18, 2019) and his first outing since Sept. 26. Anderson, a rookie, has never faced the Dodgers.
With Monday’s win, the Braves became the seventh team in MLB history to win each of their first six playoff games (and the first team to do so since the Dodgers in 2017).
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Dodgers have not announced a starter for Game 3, but Roberts said it will not be Walker Buehler or Dustin May, given their outings in Game 1. For the Braves, Kyle Wright will start.
