Dodgers 2023 All-Star profile: Clayton Kershaw

In his 16th season, Clayton Kershaw has been the healthiest starting pitcher on the Dodgers, leading the team in starts, innings, strikeouts, and wins, among other things. But even he couldn’t avoid the injured list, succumbing to shoulder soreness in the final week and a half heading into the All-Star break.

Selection process

Kershaw was voted onto the National League All-Star team by the players. He got the third-most votes (167) from players among NL starting pitchers, behind only Zac Gallen of the D-backs (242 votes) and Marcus Stroman of the Cubs (177 votes).

After Kershaw was placed on the injured list, he was replaced on the NL All-Star roster by Pittsburgh reliever David Bednar. That happened when the Pirates were at Dodger Stadium this week, so Bednar gave Kershaw a six-pack of beer with a thank you note.

All-Star history

This is the 10th All-Star berth for Kershaw, which ties shortstop Pee Wee Reese for most in Dodgers franchise history.

Kershaw pitched in seven of his previous nine All-Star games, missing 2016 while on the injured list and sitting out 2017 because he started the Sunday before the midsummer classic.

Each All-Star appearance for Kershaw has lasted one inning, allowing a total of three runs in his seven innings, with five strikeouts and three walks. In both All-Star Games in which Kershaw allowed runs, in both 2015 and 2019, he was saddled with the loss. Kershaw has started one All-Star Game, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium.

Pre-break stats

Kershaw has a 2.55 ERA and 3.45 xERA in 16 starts, with 105 strikeouts and 24 walks in 95⅓ innings. At the time of his selection announcement, Kershaw was tied for the NL lead in wins (10) and ranked second in WHIP (1.049), third in ERA and bWAR (3.2), fifth in xERA, and sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.38).

On April 18 against the Mets, Kershaw struck out nine in seven scoreless innings, earning his 200th career win.

Dodgers history

Kershaw’s seven All-Star Games pitched are second-most in Dodgers history. He’s one behind Don Drysdale, though two of Drysdale’s games came in 1959, during a brief period in which there were two All-Star Games each year. Kershaw and Drysdale are tied with pitching in an All-Star Game in seven different seasons.

Had Kershaw pitched in this year’s All-Star Game, at 35 years, 114 days old he would have been the fifth-oldest Dodger to pitch in the midsummer classic, five days younger than Kevin Brown in 2000. Last year, Kershaw was the sixth-oldest Dodgers All-Star pitcher.