Dodgers News: Austin Barnes Shares on His Complicated Relationship with Clayton Kershaw
Being a catcher for a competitor and beast like Clayton Kershaw doesn’t seem all that easy according to Austin Barnes. Barnes entered the major leagues with the Dodgers back in 2015 meanwhile Kershaw has spent the entirety of his career as a starting pitcher for Los Angeles since 2008.
However, after the 2022 season ended, the three time Cy Young award winner became a free agent. Rumors swirled about where Kersh would end up but I think a part of us always knew he would return in Dodger blue.
After the news was made official last week, Barnes shared his thoughts with SportsNet LA about the All-Star’s return to LA and described a little bit about their relationship on the field over the past 7 seasons.
“Obviously I’m glad he’s back. He’s our leader, he’s our captain. He’s the Dodger organization. He’s just an ultra hard-worker. Me and him, I think we understand each other a little bit and what kind of makes us work. I understand he’s a fiery competitor and sometimes he gets mad and sometimes he’ll take it out on me and I can handle that. He just wants to win and I think that’s why we can mesh well together a little bit. We’re out there just trying to compete. And I can see that he’s just trying to get the hitter out, and we’re just trying to get through the game and throw up zeroes and put us at a chance to win the game.”
Barnes is being a good sport about it but we get it, those heat-of-the-moment situations sometimes bring out the ugly sides of competitors who want to win. And that’s a good thing. Shows that Kershaw cares about the game and doing the best he can.
But I don’t think I need to tell you that. He’s made it very obvious with both his 2022 stats (12-3 record, 2.28 ERA, and 137 strikeouts) and his career stats as well (197-87 record, 2.48 ERA, and 2807 K’s). Since 2008, Clayton Kershaw has made his name known in the MLB and the 34-year-old will continue to do so while still sporting a Dodgers jersey.
We’re happy to have you back Kersh, just try to be nice to Austin, we kinda like him too.
Agree 100%. Barnes wants to win as badly as Kersh does and he has been a very good Dodger especially given he is often neglected when we talk of the Dodgers’ future. I watch all of them when I go to games here on the East Coast and Barnes is always all in, all the time! Not a superstar by any means but a valued Dodger which explains his longevity!
What a wonderful read!! As a Dodger fan my entire life (I’ve been around a for a bit) it is a pleasure to see the other side of our players. There is more than just being a pitcher, catcher, infield and outfield player. It is a complex sport. Also, a very mental and physical game!! I really enjoyed it!! Thank you