Clayton Kershaw epitomizes dominance — at least in the regular season. Despite declining ‘stuff’, he still manages to go out to the mound every year and be excellent. To all the people who are going to mention his lackluster postseason performances, you’re right. Your opinions are justified. However, Kershaw still was the most dominant pitcher in the decade of the 2010s and it really is not that close.
Jayson Stark of The Athletic put together his full all-decade team on behalf of the publication and named Clayton Kershaw as the best pitcher of the 2010s. Not surprising.
Most underrated player of the 2010s? Best pitcher who never won the Cy Young? Best postseason hitter?
As part of @TheAthletic's 2010s week, @jaysonst hands out his MLB Best of the Decade Awards ?https://t.co/PrK4OF01TC
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) November 26, 2019
Kershaw is definitely cemented in the conversation for the best pitcher of all time — in the regular season, to clarify. He holds a lifetime 2.44 ERA and 2.74 FIP, 64.5 WAR, and is just 31 years old. His age is steadily increasing and the stuff is declining like I said, but he can certainly still pitch. He showed in flashes in 2019 that he is still a formidable force near the top of the Dodgers’ rotation.
In the context of Stark’s column, Kershaw’s numbers from 2010 to 2019 were special. He held a 2.31 ERA and 2.64 FIP while racking up eight All-Star appearances, three Cy Young Awards, and the 2014 NL MVP. Even outside of the three Cy Young wins, he finished in the top five in voting for seven consecutive seasons — six in the top three.
Kershaw is special and while he now firmly in the second half of his career, we need to cherish the time we do have with him.
