Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is known to be one of the most intense pitchers when he’s on the mound while simultaneously being one of the more generous players off the field.
Kershaw’s fiery nature when starting has led to some verbal spats with umpires, but he’s never instigated any sort of altercation for hitting a batter. Kershaw has rushed out of the dugout when benches have cleared, including pointing at Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton.
Although Kershaw does not have experience in a benches-clearing incident, he admitted in a recent interview on the Dan Patrick Show, to holding grudges. Though, Kershaw explained it’s based on results against him:
“There’s some hitters that I don’t like, obviously. For me it’s more about just on-the-field antics more than if you get hits off me or not. Guys who get hits and go about it the right way and if they hit homers they don’t just stand there and stare at it for a really, really long time, I’m OK with that. The antics are probably what gets me to have some grudges.”
Kershaw was also very candid in admitting that he has at times hit batters on purpose. Kershaw has not hit a single batter in 90 innings pitched this season, and he has only plunked 29 hitters in 1,850 career innings.
The strong command played a role in one National League hitter referring to facing Kershaw as a ‘comfortable at-bat.’ While the unnamed player praised the three-time Cy Young Award winner, he viewed Kershaw’s propensity to pound the strike zone as a bit of a positive.
