Clayton Kershaw, wearing No. 54, makes the first start of his big-league career on May 25, 2008. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
By Jon Weisman
Clayton Kershaw makes the 200th start of his Major League career tonight.
In Major League history, two pitchers have made 199 starts with an park/era-adjusted ERA (ERA+) of at least 150: Pedro Martinez and Kershaw.
Here are the top six pitchers in strikeouts per nine innings: Randy Johnson, Martinez, Nolan Ryan, Tim Lincecum, Kershaw, Sandy Koufax.
The top five in MLB history in Wins Above Average through age 26: Walter Johnson, Bert Blyleven, Christy Mathewson, Hal Newhouser, Kershaw.
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The taboo against comparing Kershaw to Koufax has begun to fall away, as the full scope of Kershaw’s accomplishments resonates more and more among even the most diehard Koufax fans. At a minimum, fewer raise objections to mentioning them in the same sentence.
Whether Kershaw will end is career in the same stratosphere as Koufax is impossible to know. But speaking in the present, there’s no doubt that Kershaw has accomplished more by his age-26 season than Koufax has.
- Kershaw (2008-2014): 1,301 1/3 innings, 2.52 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 1.067 WHIP, 1,356 strikeouts, 150 ERA+
- Koufax (1955-1962): 1,131 2/3 innings, 3.71 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 1.314 WHIP, 1,168 strikeouts, 110 ERA+
Among the key distinctions made to elevate Koufax above Kershaw is the fact that Kershaw was part of a five-man rotation, while four-man rotations were common in the Koufax era. It’s a meaningful distinction, though perhaps overplayed in terms of how often Koufax started on three days’ rest:
Especially at the outset of Koufax’s career, some of his starts that were technically on short rest came after brief appearances. For example, in his 1955 rookie season, Koufax is credited with a 14-strikeout August 27 shutout of the Reds on one day of rest, but in fact that was coming off an 11-pitch relief appearance on August 25 in the ninth inning with a five-run deficit, an outing that essentially was a glorified bullpen session.
I’m absolutely not trying to minimize anything Koufax has accomplished here — Koufax threw 135 pitches in that 1955 shutout, at age 19, and you’ll be shocked to find that in his next appearance, he allowed four runs in an inning of relief. Live by the pitch-count freedom, die by the pitch-count freedom.
Koufax was not protected the way Kershaw was; he was used almost haphazardly. He was anything but sacred for the first several years of his career, and the fact that he became as incredible as he did speaks to his miraculous qualities.
But when people have said that you can’t compare Kershaw to Koufax, the Koufax they’re really speaking of didn’t even arrive until age 27, the year of his first Cy Young Award. Kershaw doesn’t turn 27 until next year.
Ultimately, comparing Kershaw to Koufax is apples to oranges (the very best apples and oranges you’ve ever tasted). Kershaw will never have the opportunity to prove that he could match or surpass Koufax on three days’ rest. Kershaw will never crack 300 innings in a season. And for that we can be grateful, because thanks to those restrictions, Kershaw has a much better chance to pitch past the age of 30, perhaps another decade beyond Koufax’s playing life.
So when people like myself do compare Kershaw to Koufax, we’re really just trying to look for ways to shorthand the greatness of Kershaw. And it’s no shot at Koufax that in some ways, he does fall short. It simply speaks to how mindblowingly unreal Kershaw has been.
But for our conclusion, we’ll leave Koufax out of the copy:
Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher of his age in Dodger history and probably one of the five best in Major League history. And as impossible as it seems, it’s possible he hasn’t peaked.
Carl E Creasman
Just one important point regarding Koufax. You need to remember that the MBL rules in play when Koufax was signed required the Dodgers to keep him in the Majors so he did not have a chance for minor league experience as Kershaw has had. Personally I think they are both great but I also believe that comparing Kershaw’s first few years to Koufax’s is unfair. We will never know how they would stack up if they both had the same conditions in their early years so let’s agree that they both are great and probably the two best lefthanders in ML history.
Jon Weisman
Indeed, hence the apples/oranges and haphazard comments.
Eric Enders (@nrmnbates)
This is such a fantastic piece that I hate for my only comment to be the correction of a typo… but it’s kind of an important one. Koufax had 2 World Series rings, not zero, through age 26 — although his contribution to those two teams can certainly be debated.
Jon Weisman
Thanks – and sorry – that was meant to be “no World Series (pitching) wins,” which seems to be so important for some people. But upon reflection, I’m just taking that part out.
Jack Whealen
Having seen Koufax pitch a couple dozen times at the very height of his career there was no other pitcher other than Bob Gibson I could have compared him to until Kershaw. Although, I still give the edge to Koufax because of his ability to pitch through pain with the 300+ innings and strikeout seasons. As far as carrying his team both Koufax and Kershaw are equals and the Dodgers would never have won without them. I was a boy when Koufax pitched and grew up with the Dodgers with Vin Scully narrating his greatness and how he was so special. More than 40 years later there is Vin Scully telling a similar story line (though a bit more subdued these days) about Kershaw. It was a shock when Sandy lost and Kershaw is in that same category. Simply the best pitchers I have ever seen.