NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets haven’t agreed on much during a heated National League Division Series.
Except this: The best pitcher to take the ball for the Dodgers in Game 4 on Tuesday night is three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.
During his press conference after New York’s 13-7 win Monday night, Mets manager Terry Collins was asked if he preferred to see Kershaw or left-hander Alex Wood on the mound Tuesday.
“Would I have any preference?” Collins said with a laugh. “Yeah, I got a preference. Believe me, this is no slap at Alex Wood. He’s a fine pitcher, but I don’t want that other monster on the mound.”
Well, Collins and the Mets are going to see that monster Tuesday, when the Dodgers try to extend their season by sending Kershaw to the mound on three days’ rest. The Mets hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
The Dodgers actually announced Kershaw as the starter, via their Twitter account, shortly before manager Don Mattingly stepped to the podium Monday afternoon.
“Do you have to explain that one?” Mattingly said with a laugh of his own. “He’s pretty good. I mean, we just feel like he’s that guy, no matter if we’re down 2-1 or up 2-1. We feel like he’s the right guy.”
This will be the third consecutive season in which Kershaw starts Game 4 of the NLDS on three days’ rest.
With the Dodgers up two games to one in 2013, he helped finish off the Atlanta Braves by allowing two unearned runs over six innings, though he didn’t factor into the decision in Los Angeles’ 4-3 win.
Last season, with the Dodgers trailing the St. Louis Cardinals two games to one, Kershaw opened Game 4 with six shutout innings but allowed three runs without recording an out in the seventh and took the loss as the Dodgers were eliminated in a 3-2 defeat.
“Atlanta was the first one, I think I did fine,” Kershaw said Monday afternoon. “Last year I did OK until the last inning. So, you know, try not to do that again, I guess.”
Kershaw didn’t get a whole lot of help last season in the fateful seventh inning, when Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday and shortstop Jhonny Peralta each singled off the gloves of second baseman Dee Gordon and shortstop Hanley Ramirez, respectively, before first baseman Matt Adams hit a three-run homer.
“We should have had the first two outs of that inning in the seventh,” Mattingly said following Monday’s game. “His stuff’s really been fine.”
In the series opener against the Mets on Friday, Kershaw took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out 11.
Kershaw said Monday he doesn’t feel the impact of pitching with one fewer day of rest.
“The adrenaline takes over,” he said. “You don’t really feel tired or anything like that. It’s the playoffs. Obviously, your routine change a little bit, different things like that, but as far as being prepared, being ready for it, I’ll be fine come (Tuesday).”
Once again, the Dodgers’ season is riding on it.