Clayton Kershaw it was falling apart again.
It was real. Was happening. It was October in July. It was déjà boo.
It was the third inning of Kershaw’s long-awaited season debut against the San Francisco Giants on a sweltering Thursday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, and the future Hall of Famer was melting down.
After pitching two scoreless innings, he suddenly lost control and was in danger of ruining his momentum.
He gave up a line drive single to left by Jorge Soler, a ricocheting triple to the left corner by Tyler Fitzgerald, a hard single up middle by Heliot Ramos, then another single to center by Matt Chapman.
Four broken pitches. Two runs scored. Two runners on base. No exits. Oh no.
The last time Kershaw stood on this mound, he gave up six runs in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a playoff-opening loss in October that led to off-season shoulder surgery.
Nine months later, at age 36, he was unlikely trying a comeback who suddenly looked stunted just three innings after starting.
The crowd was silent. The hot wind stopped. The pitcher took a deep breath.
See more information: Clayton Kershaw returns to the Dodgers. What can they realistically expect from him?
Then, just as quickly as he lost it, Kershaw found it.
Your strength. Your speed. Your season?
Then — on a three-hit streak that screamed, “Remember me?” – Kershaw struck out Patrick Bailey hitting a slider, struck out David Villar looking at a curveball and struck out Thairo Estrada hitting another slider.
Three Ks in a row, wow after wow after wow, Kershaw clenched his fist, the crowd emptied their lungs, the inning ended and now the questions begin.
What exactly do the Dodgers have here?
Could their former ace really shore up their battered rotation? Can he pitch well enough over the next two months to play a role in October? He will certainly never start in Game 1 again, but can he become a fourth piece who can contribute in a long series?
See more information: Clayton Kershaw returns, Shohei Ohtani homers, Dodgers win Giants series
No matter where he fits, the Dodgers are marveling at the idea that they might actually need to make room.
“If this is the floor then we are in for a fun ride with Clayton this year,” said emotional coach Dave Roberts.
At the The Dodgers’ eventual 6-4 victory, Kershaw waxed that floor until it shined, giving up two runs on six hits in four innings while looking surprisingly wonderful and occasionally meh.
His average fastball velocity was 90.6 mph, nothing special, but not terrible, and not slow diving. His slider and curveball were mostly working. He struck out six and walked two in 72 pitches that mostly pleased him.
“It was fun,” he said afterward. “There are definitely some things you can improve on, but overall it was a good day and I can build on that.”
More than a day for statistics, it was a day of the heart, Kershaw was overcome with a deep sense of appreciation for what he nearly lost.
See more information: See the special cleats Clayton Kershaw’s kids decorated for his comeback
“It means a lot … being able to come back to Dodger Stadium is something I’ve thought about for a long time,” he said. “There are a lot of people here who spent a lot of time with me to help me come back…that was really cool.”
A crowd braving the 90-degree afternoon heat greeted him with a standing ovation. He bowed his head while standing on the mound to the sound of “We Are Young.” Dressed in cleats decorated by his children, he started throwing as if he had never been out again, but this was different, this was special.
There were roars with every hit, louder roars with every hit, and throughout the game, enough noise to create a sense of reconnection.
“To come back and pitch here…not that I’ve ever done it before, but I won’t take it for granted again,” Kershaw said.
The fact that he took the mound was impressive. After watching it last October, didn’t you think it was finished? This columnist certainly did that.
He’s won every award imaginable, he’s got a World Series ring, he’s headed to Cooperstown, why go through arduous rehab simply to keep doing something he’s already done better than most human beings in history?
It turns out that it was in moments like that of the third round. He craves competition. He appreciates obstacles.
“At the end of the day, you just have to perform, it doesn’t matter all the rehab, all the surgery, it doesn’t matter, you have to perform,” he said. “I’m looking forward to my next start, thinking about it.”
By becoming the first pitcher in Dodgers history to play 17 seasons with the team – 17! -Kershaw actually further ensured his greatness simply by his presence.
“Having a great season, having a great first half, being an All-Star, having great seasons is one thing,” Roberts said. “But the longevity part is something I really admire, the consistency part, the ability to post, and then for him to set another record just speaks to the character, the competitor in Clayton Kershaw. And in all these years, he was still dominant even without his best. So, put him on the Mount Rushmore of Dodger players.”
Fortunately, Roberts is convinced that the Dodgers’ plans for the July 30 trade deadline will not be affected by Kershaw’s performance. They still need a starting pitcher in the front office and apparently already know not to count on Kershaw anytime soon in his return.
See more information: Clayton Kershaw returns to the Dodgers. What can they realistically expect from him?
“I don’t think it will have any impact next week,” Roberts said. “I think given the starting situation, who we have and the guys that aren’t available, IL, I don’t think Clayton leaving today has any impact on that.”
However, they definitely reserved a spot for Kershaw if he’s ready.
“I expect Clayton to be a big part of October. Yes,” Roberts said.
How big? Stay tuned. The strange but necessary audition of a future Hall of Famer has begun.
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This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
