MLB Awards: Could Clayton Kershaw still win a Cy in 2016?
No fan of MLB and the game itself wanted to see Kershaw hit the DL with a herniated disc back in June. But if he returns, could another Cy be in the cards?
Remember when Clayton Kershaw missed an entire month of the season back in 2014, but still took home some serious MLB hardware? Of course you do, because Kershaw’s 7.7 fWAR bested any starting pitcher’s mark that season and he was only four strikeouts shy of a pitching triple crown despite having thrown almost 50 fewer innings than Johnny Cueto that year.
The Claw’s durability has again come into question in 2016. However, before he hurt his back, the southpaw was having perhaps his best season to date. If he pitches again this season, could he still be in line for his fourth Cy Young award in six years?
It is certainly possible. According to Fangraphs, his fWAR of 5.5 still tops all other pitchers. Over at Baseball-Reference, his 4.9 WAR even bests Madison Bumgarner‘s 4.8, with Kershaw having more wins in eight fewer starts.
These stats are somewhat staggering, folks. Most of all are Kershaw’s walks and hits per innings pitched (0.727) and K:BB ratio (16.1). They are off the charts.
If he returns an maintains his present WHIP, it would be better than the 0.740 Pedro Martinez posted in 2000, which is the best mark of any starting pitcher since 1950. The same goes for Kershaw’s K:BB. Phil Hughes‘ 11.63 from 2014 is the best ratio since that same date.
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If it were not for Kershaw’s output this year, his Los Angeles Dodgers would not be in an NL Wild Card position for the time being. In his 16 starts, the club is ultimately 14-2 in outcomes.
The BBWAA will look at longevity over the course of a full schedule as well as results. Surely names like Noah Syndergaard, Jose Fernandez, Stephen Strasburg, Madison Bumgarner, Jake Arrieta, Johnny Cueto and even the surprising Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs are all being watched over closely for now.
After a prior setback in his rehab from a herniated disc, the best pitcher on earth has resumed throwing once again. Taking the mound in August seems like a long shot for Kershaw at the moment, as he is basically just playing catch. He’s not putting a lot of pressure on his lower back by pushing off the rubber and he certainly isn’t ramping up his velocity.
September is a possible scenario for his return. With surgery having been discussed and not entirely thrown out the window yet, you can bet Dodgers management will continue to be extra cautious with their most prized asset.
Even if it means a three-quarters healthy Kershaw could be the difference between the Dodgers making the playoffs with him in the rotation or not making it with him absent, the front office will choose to be conservative in their decision making.
Had a full season of starts been on tap for the ace of MLB, it would have been awesome to see just how historic Kershaw could have made it.
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The one sad truth about his injury is that it’s been a tough pill to swallow everywhere for fans in Los Angeles, fans of the game in general and anyone who had a fantasy team being buoyed by The Claw’s efforts on a weekly basis.