Clayton Kershaw named to National League All-Star team

The 2013 MLB All-Star rosters were announced on Saturday, and Clayton Kershaw was named to the National League All-Star team for a third consecutive season. Kershaw was the only Dodger selected to the 33-man NL roster, but he could soon be joined by Yasiel Puig, vying with four other National League players for the 34th and final roster spot, selected via fan vote.

Kershaw is 7-5 with a 1.93 ERA in 18 starts with 126 strikeouts in 130⅓ innings. Kershaw, who led the majors in ERA in each of the last two seasons, leads the majors in ERA in 2013, is second in the National League in strikeouts and third in innings pitched.

The last Dodger to be named to three straight All-Star teams was Eric Gagne in 2002-2004. The last Dodgers starting pitcher to make it for three straight seasons was Orel Hershiser in 1987-1989.

There have been 10 Dodgers pitchers to be named to All-Star teams in three straight years. The others are Whit Wyatt (1940-1942), Ralph Branca (1947-1949), Preacher Roe (1949-1952), Don Newcombe (1949-1951), Sandy Koufax (1961-1966), Don Drysdale (1961-1965) and Fernando Valenzuela (1981-1986).

Kershaw has pitched scoreless frames in each of the last two Al-Star Games, pitching in the fifth inning in both 2011 in Arizona and 2012 in Kansas City.