Yesterday, Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw dominated the Minnesota Twins, throwing seven perfect innings on just 80 pitches as the Dodgers cruised to a 7-0 victory, improving to 3-2 on the season.
After 80 pitches through seven innings, Kershaw was pulled, sparking some outrage from fans and media alike.
What made matters worse was that the perfect game bid ended after Kershaw’s exit.
However, one baseball coach on Twitter has a unique take on the Kershaw situation.
He claims that it was good for the game to see a big-league manager prioritize a pitcher’s health and his pitch count above all else, which in his mind should teach youth coaches a lesson about preserving their pitchers’ arms.
Clayton Kershaw getting pulled from a perfect game through 7 innings is ultimately good for the game of youth baseball.
How many youth coaches and families just saw a big league team put a pitcher’s health, arm care and pitch count above all else? I think it’s a good thing.
— Tom House 〽️ (@tomhouse) April 13, 2022
Should Kershaw Have Been Pulled?
This is an interesting take, and he’s not wrong.
Baseball is coming off of a 99-day lockout, which put the entire sport on hold and caused players to not be able to train at team facilities.
Kershaw also has struggled with his health in recent years, so it’s not necessarily a bad thing that manager Dave Roberts chose to play it safe with his veteran lefty.
On the flipside, Kershaw has never thrown a perfect game before and was only at 80 pitches.
He had a chance at history and was ultimately robbed of it, especially due to the fact that the perfect game bid ended following Kershaw’s exit.
But it’s interesting to see this coach’s take on the situation.
There are obviously two sides to this story, and you could easily make a case for both.
Kershaw took the high road when asked about being pulled from the game early, understanding why Roberts made the unpopular decision and also expressing hope that he may get another shot.
Definitely the right move. You’ve got to think months ahead–having a fresh arm in October.
A starter whose team makes the world series might be pitching an extra 40 innings in the post-season. There’s a price for overwork.