It’s safe to say Clayton Kershaw will never get over 2017.
Kershaw was the bona fide ace of a Los Angeles Dodgers team that had won an MLB-high 104 games and its first pennant since 1988.
They faced the Houston Astros in the World Series, which they lost in seven games. At the time, the loss was hardly anything to be ashamed about.
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Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares to pitch during the second inning against the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series at Minute Maid Park Oct. 29, 2017, in Houston. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
But two years later, it was revealed the Astros stole signs to relay to batters what pitches were coming that entire season.
Manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were fired, and the team was fined and lost draft picks. No players were punished, although Carlos Beltran was fired as the New York Mets’ manager before ever coaching a game. The Boston Red Sox also fired, and then rehired, Alex Cora, the bench coach from that year’s squad.
Kershaw was asked where his current Dodgers’ one-two punch of Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts compares to others he has faced throughout his career, and he didn’t mince words.
“I’m trying to think of teams that I pitched against. Like the best teams. I mean, leadoff-wise, (Jose) Altuve and (Alex) Bregman were good,” he told The Athletic.
“But they cheated, so that’s not really the same.”
Jose Altuve, left, and Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros celebrate after the Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Rob Tringali/MLB via Getty Images)
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There have been many arguments about whether Altuve was fully involved. A notable website shows Altuve had almost zero involvement, and teammates have said he was one of the rare Astros who wanted nothing to do with the scheme.
However, he hasn’t won many fans over ever since he begged his teammates not to rip his jersey off after he hit a walk-off home run that sent his Astros to the 2019 World Series. Ever since then, there has been speculation he could have been wearing a device that relayed information about pitches.
Altuve has received boos in just about every opposing park, but perhaps none louder than Dodger and Yankee stadiums. The Astros have beaten the Yankees in the ALCS three times, including in 2017 and 2019.
Clayton Kershaw (22) of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks to the dugout after allowing four runs during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series at Minute Maid Park Oct. 29, 2017, in Houston. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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In two starts against the Astros in that World Series, Kershaw allowed nine earned runs in 11 innings. Granted, he’s never been a top performer in the postseason, but perhaps his resume would look a bit better if the other team didn’t know what pitches were coming.
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