Pencil in the Opening Day starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the upcoming 2017 season, as manager Dave Roberts has announced that ace Clayton Kershaw will take the hill for the 7th straight year. This was a no brainer for Roberts as Kershaw has proven year in and year out that he is the games most dominant pitcher and he will start the new season off on the right note. Kershaw’s seven Opening Day starts ties Don Drysdale and Don Sutton for the most in franchise history.
Opening Day is as optimistic as New Years Day; it is a clean slate for every team in the league and from that day forward, the players have complete control of the destiny of their season. Opening Day is the first step in the long journey towards making the playoffs and heading for the World Series, and for the Dodgers starting Kershaw, it is a huge step in the right direction. In Kershaw’s previous six season openers, he has been lights out! He has posted a 4-0 record with a jarring 0.93 ERA, while striking out 7.3 batters faced. The Dodgers have also won all 6 of those starts. The level of comfort that Kershaw has on the mound during these starts is so evident because he feels that he can put the team on his back and carry them to the first W of the season. The historic day is scheduled for April 3rd and if history were to repeat itself, you can chalk up another solid outing for the games best pitcher in Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers at the top of the National League standings.
