Clayton Kershaw named to All-Star team as replacement for Max Scherzer

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is a National League All-Star after all. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was named as a replacement on the team after Max Scherzer of the Nationals started Sunday, rendering the Washington right-hander ineligible for the midsummer classic, to be played on Tuesday at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

Kershaw is 6-6 with a 2.85 ERA in 18 starts this season and leads the major leagues with 160 strikeouts, including 13 in a shutout of the Phillies on Wednesday.

Kershaw was not one of eight starting pitchers chosen when All-Star rosters were chosen on Monday, then finished in third place in the NL Final Vote, won by Carlos Martinez of the Cardinals.

Johnny Cueto, who finished second in the Final Vote, also started Sunday.

"I knew there was a chance I guess, with Scherzer being scheduled to pitch and Cueto as well," Kershaw said. "I made plans both ways. I'm excited, it's always fun."

Kershaw replaces Scherzer by selection of San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy.

"I said it before, I have no pride in how I get there. You get to go to the All-Star Game. I don't care if I was the bat boy, as long as I got to go," Kershaw said. "It's a special time. You look back on it, and nobody will remember you were a replacement of a replacement who didn't win the fan vote."

This is the fifth consecutive All-Star appearance for Kershaw, who joins Sandy Koufax (1961-66) and Fernando Valenzuela (1981-86) as the only Dodgers pitchers to accomplish that feat. The last Dodgers player to make five consecutive All-Star appearances was Mike Piazza (1993-97).

"The history here with Dodgers pitching is pretty spectacular, so any time you get mentioned with those guys, it's pretty awesome," Kershaw said.