Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw Comments On Missing Opening Day Start

While the news became official on Tuesday that Clayton Kershaw wouldn’t begin the season active with the Dodgers – the ripple effect remains.

Now, how does Kershaw feel? This would have been his ninth straight nod on Opening Day, a franchise record. Initially, that was the expectation when Dave Roberts gave the unofficial word in February.

Thankfully, Bill Plunkett, Jorge Castillo, and David Vassegh are right on top of things via twitter.

#Dodgers Clayton Kershaw: “It’ll be sad to watch someone else out there on Opening Day. But I’ll get over it.”

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 20, 2019

Kershaw conveyed some disappointment in talking to Plunkett.

“It will be sad to watch someone else out there on Opening Day, but I’ll get over it.”

Presumably, that starter may be teammate Rich Hill. Rumors but not reports have the Dodgers currently leaning in that direction with Walker Buehler on the mend in his own right.

Clayton Kershaw on his opening-day start streak ending: "I had a good run."

— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) March 20, 2019

Then, Kershaw told Jorge Castillo in a more subtle manner of his disappointment.

“I had a good run.”

Indeed, that sounds a little like a prize fighter who is hanging up the gloves for good. In this case, not so. Kershaw told David Vassegh that he’s simply got some work ahead of him in getting ready for a long season.

Clayton Kershaw acknowledged he's at the beginning stages of getting ready for the season: "I haven't had a spring training yet. I got to go thru it all and it's tedious and boring, but hopefully it pays off with a healthy season." #Dodgers

— . (@THEREAL_DV) March 21, 2019

Nevertheless, the Dodgers will begin their season on March 28 without the services of Kershaw. Still, baseball season will roll on with or without Kershaw in the dugout. Like time, that is the one certainty in play. The x-factor of the equation is how fast the big left-hander will be back with his squad.

The moral of the story here is all good runs eventually meet their ending. Kershaw’s Opening Day record during those eight starts was 5-1.

Equally important – I would bet we haven’t seen Kershaw take the ball in game number one for the final time. Not by a long shot.