Los Angeles Dodgers: Listing 10 best games of Clayton Kershaw’s career

Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers recently earned his 200th victory, moving one step closer to becoming the all-time franchise leader in victories.

Kershaw now trails only Don Sutton (233) and Don Drysdale (209) on that list. He is already No. 1 among Dodgers all-time in strikeouts, having fanned 2,833 opposing batters since arriving in the Majors in 2008.

The stat geeks absolutely adore Kershaw. He ranks first all-time among Dodgers in a host of next-level categories, among them: Adjusted Pitching Wins, Base-Out Runs Saved, Win Probability Added, and Situation Wins Saved.

Those are a few of the reasons why many contend that Kershaw is a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer five years after he hangs them up.

In recognition of that 200th win, here’s a look at the 15 best-pitched games of the Dodgers’ left-handed ace, including 10 in the regular season and five in the postseason.

Our standard of measurement is Win Probability Added. That calculates the individual’s role in influencing the game’s outcome. For that reason, it emphasizes late-inning game-turning accomplishments. It judges the player’s contribution within the broader context of winning the game.

Here are Clayton Kershaw’s 10 most exceptional regular season performances for the Los Angeles Dodgers

10. July 25, 2010, Dodgers 1, Mets 0. In only his second full season, Kershaw scattered seven hits in eight innings of work before turning the outcome over to Kenley Jansen for the save. Four times the Mets got a runner into scoring position against Kershaw, but he never allowed that runner to advance.

Still the outcome wasn’t decided until Russell Martin’s eighth inning double drove in Casey Blake, who had singled. Win Probability Added: 0.533

9. July 20, 2011, Dodgers 1, Giants 0. This is the second of five 1-0 shutouts on Kershaw’s personal 10-best list. With ninth inning relief help from Javy Guerra, he held the Giants to three hits at AT&T Park, all of them singles, and struck out 12. This game was scoreless until the seventh, when Dionner Navarro homered off Giants starter Tim Lincecum. Win Probability Added: 0.537

8.  Aug. 12, 2015, Dodgers 3, Nationals 0. At Dodger Stadium, Kershaw pitched eight innings of three-hit shutout ball, striking out eight and walking none. The only Washington baserunners were Michael A. Taylor (sixth-inning double and eighth-inning single), and Anthony Rendon (seventh-inning single).

Kershaw protected a 1-0 lead until the eighth, when the Dodgers pushed across two insurance runs. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth. Win Probability Added: 0.552.

7. May 9, 2010, Dodgers 2, Rockies 0. This was another eight-inning showing during which Kershaw allowed just two hits and struck out nine. Perhaps the game’s key moment occurred in the very first inning. With the bases loaded and two out, Kershaw caught Ian Stewart looking at a 3-2 pitch to end what turned out to be Colorado’s best threat of the afternoon. Win probability Added: 0.566.

6. July 29, 2009, Cardinals 3, Dodgers 2. Even Kershaw can’t win them all. In his first full season, he started and pitched eight innings of shutout ball in St. Louis, holding the Cardinals to four hits and striking out seven while protecting a 1-0 lead. But the Cardinals tied the game against closer Jonathan Broxton in the ninth, and won it in the 15th on an Albert Pujols base hit. Win Probability Added: 0.625.

5 . June 24, 2014, Dodgers 2, Royals 0. At Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Kershaw outpitched Danny Duffy in a nail-biter. The Dodgers pushed across a run in the first and did not score again until the ninth. Kershaw held the soon-to-be American League champions to six hits and struck out eight before giving way to Kenley Jansen in the ninth. Win Probability Added: 0.633.

4. July 23, 2015, Dodgers 3, Mets 0. Kershaw pitched a complete game three-hitter, holding the future National League champions without a baserunner until Curtis Granderson singled opening the seventh.

The Dodgers were clinging to a 1-0 lead at that point, although they would add a pair of insurance runs in the ninth. Win Probability Added: 0.643.

3. May 23, 2016, Dodgers 1, Reds 0. Kershaw held the visiting Reds to just two hits and struck out seven. In the fourth inning of what at that point was a scoreless tie, Joey Votto worked Kershaw for a walk, only to watch helplessly as Brandon Phillips grounded into a double play.

Protecting that 1-0 lead in the ninth, Kershaw set down Eugenio Suarez, Zack Cozart and Billy Hamilton on two grounders and a fly ball to lock up the win. Win Probability Added: 0.719.

2. May 1, 2016, Dodgers 1 Padres 0. At Dodger Stadium, Kershaw produced another three-hit shutout, this one a complete game. He fanned 14 Padres along the way. The game turned in the San Diego seventh, the Dodgers leading 1-0 at the time.

With one out, Wil Myers and Matt Kemp singled back to back, Myers reaching third with the potential tying run. Kershaw struck out B.J. Upton, then retired Derek Norris on a fly ball to quell the threat. Win Probability Added: 0.730.

1 Sept. 14, 2010, Dodgers 1, Giants 0. At AT&T Park, Kershaw squared off against Barry Zito, who allowed only a harmless second inning Matt Kemp single. Then in the sixth, Zito hit Reed Johnson with a pitch, and issued a pair of two-out walks. Casey Blake chopped a grounder to Juan Uribe, but he fumbled it, allowing Johnson to score.

It wasn’t much, but Kershaw didn’t need much. He held the Giants to one hit the rest of the way, finishing with a complete game four-hit shutout. Win Probability Added: 0.793.